Ing-forms (labelling)

[Tung Quoc]

Dear teachers,

1/Please read:

He was sent to work in a factory labelling bottle for 6$ a week.

The subject of "labelling" is "he" or "factory"?
If I don't want to use "labelling", how to rewrite the sentence?

(He was sent to work in a factory where he labelled bottle for 6 $ a week.)

2/Please read:
It will mean 500 people losing their job.

The subject of "losing" is "people"?
If I don't want to use "losing", how to rewrite the sentence?

(It will mean 500 people who will lose their job. )

3/ It being very dark, we went to the bed. (a)
It is very dark, we went to the bed. (b)

(a) is correct? What is the difference btw (a) and (b)?

Best regards
Quoc

[Mister Micawber]

.
1--He was sent to work in a factory labelling bottles for $6 a week. 'Labelling...week' is a nonfinite clause used as a sentence adverbial.

He was sent to work in a factory where he labelled / where they labelled bottles for $6 a week.
'

2-- It will mean 500 people losing their jobs.

500 people losing their jobs is a nonfinite clause serving as a direct object of the verb mean (or perhaps a complement if mean is a linking verb here). Losing their jobs modifies people.

It will mean 500 people will lose their jobs.

3-- It being very dark, we went to bed. -- Correct
It was very dark, we went to bed. -- this is a comma-splice sentence, so is incorrect. It requires a semicolon instead of the comma, or rephrasing: Since it was very dark, we went to bed. The meanings are the same.
.
_________________
Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mister Micawber

[Tung Quoc]

Dear sir,

1/ In short:

It was very dark, we went to bed. correct
It was very dark; we went to bed. incorrect

Is it right?

2/Can I write as in follows?
It being very dark; we went to bed.

3/In your opinion, when a noun/adverbial/relative clause is at the beginning of a sentence, a comma or a semicolon is correct?Or not punctuation?

Ex:Please only list the correct:
a. Before/Because/whether... +S+V +..., S+V +....
b. Before/Because/Whether... +S+V +...; S+V +....
c. Before/Because/Whether... +S+V +... S+V +.... (not punctuation)

Thanks
Tung Quoc

[Mister Micawber]

.
1-- No; you have the rule reversed. Independent clauses without a conjunction between them cannot be separated by a comma; a semicolon must be used.

It was very dark, we went to bed. incorrect
It was very dark; we went to bed. correct

2-- No. Semicolons must separate independent clauses; your first clause is nonfinite.

It being very dark, we went to bed. -- correct

3-- Normally, it is followed by a comma.

a. Before/Because/whether... +S+V +..., S+V +.... -- correct.
.
_________________
Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mister Micawber