engaged in moderate-to-vigorous

[keannu]

This sentence structure is weird. Which is the subject for "engaged in" and "spent"? For "spent", both "Students" or "class" seems to be, and for "engaged in", either seems to be, confusing me.

go3mo-41
ex) A study found that enrollment in physical education classes was not related to academic achievement scores, but involvement in vigorous physical activity was. Students who engaged in vigorous activity outside of school at least 20 minutes per day, three days per week, were found to have higher academic scores. Students in the physical education class spent an average of only 19 minutes out of a 55-minute class engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.

 

[5jj]

This sentence structure is weird. Which is the subject for "engaged in" and "spent"? For "spent", both "Students" or "class" seems to be, and for "engaged in", either seems to be, confusing me.

go3mo-41
ex) A study found that enrollment in physical education classes was not related to academic achievement scores, but involvement in vigorous physical activity was. Students who engaged in vigorous activity outside of school at least 20 minutes per day, three days per week, were found to have higher academic scores. Students in the physical education class spent an average of only 19 minutes out of a 55-minute class engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.

The subject of 'engaged in' is 'who', the antecedent of which is 'students'. The subject of 'spent' is 'Students', specifically those students in the physical education class.

 

[keannu]

Sorry, sometimes tool modules don't work here, so I couldn't underline the things. I meant the second "engaged in" and typing it, I realized its subject is "students", but I wondered why there is no comma and what the difference is between a comma ", engaged" and no comma.

ex)...Students in the physical education class spent an average of only 19 minutes out of a 55-minute class engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.

 

[5jj]

The comma would be incorrect.

 

[emsr2d2]

Sorry, sometimes tool modules don't work here, so I couldn't underline the things. I meant the second "engaged in" and typing it, I realized its subject is "students", but I wondered why there is no comma and what the difference is between a comma ", engaged" and no comma.

ex)...Students in the physical education class spent an average of only 19 minutes out of a 55-minute class engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.

There would be no reason to put a comma there. If you remove the extraneous information "out of a 55-minute class" from the sentence, then you are left with:

Students ... spent an average of only 19 minutes engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity.

Would you put a comma in that sentence?

 

[keannu]

I thought "engaged in" describes "students", but from what you said, it does "a 55-minute class". If "engaged in" describes "students", it can also describe with a comma meaning a simultaneous action like 1. Doesn't 1 work, either? Maybe I have a wrong understanding about participial phrases.

1.I stayed home, playing computer games.
2. Students spent an average of only 19 minutes, engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity.

 

[5jj]

I thought "engaged in" describes "students", but from what you said, it does "a 55-minute class".

No. Look at post #5 more carefully.

 

[Barb_D]

It does not "describe" the students. It is the main verb.

Studets engaged in exercise for only 19 minutes.

 

[5jj]

It does not "describe" the students. It is the main verb.

Studets engaged in exercise for only 19 minutes.

I don't agree. The main verb is 'spent' in "Students in the physical education class spent an average of only 19 minutes out of a 55-minute class engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity".

 

[emsr2d2]

I don't agree. The main verb is 'spent' in "Students in the physical education class spent an average of only 19 minutes out of a 55-minute class engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity".

I agree that the main verb is "spent". They spent the time doing that activity. "Engaged in" simply means "doing".

 

[keannu]

What I'm wondering is the difference between 1 and 2, and I've seen numerous cases of 2 so far which can have various meanings as described. So I'd like to know why 2 can't work here.

1.They spent time doing that activity - simultaneous action
2.They spent time, doing that activity - cause-and-effect, simultaneous action, consecutive action, etc

 

[5jj]

What I'm wondering is the difference between 1 and 2, and I've seen numerous cases of 2 so far which can have various meanings as described. So I'd like to know why 2 can't work here.

1.They spent time doing that activity - simultaneous action
2.They spent time, doing that activity - cause-and-effect, simultaneous action, consecutive action, etc

#1 is fine; 2 isn't.

What you have perhaps seen is

2a. I spent time in place, doing something.

 

[keannu]

Thanks a lot!!! If you could recommend or give me a material or website address regarding restrictive/unrestrictive clause and participial phrase for me to rebuild the concepts, it would be really appreciated. The two are always confusing to me.

 

[Barb_D]

You're right. Viewing threads on my phone can be tricky and I had misremembered the sentence. Sorry.