What's wrong with the sentence "Everyone was scared of the dog that accidentally wandered into our garden"? - briefly
The sentence is grammatically correct and conveys its meaning effectively. However, the use of "that" as a relative pronoun introduces some ambiguity, as it could also refer to another noun mentioned earlier in the text or context. To avoid any potential confusion, consider using "which" instead of "that" for clarity.
What's wrong with the sentence "Everyone was scared of the dog that accidentally wandered into our garden"? - in detail
The sentence "Everyone was scared of the dog that accidentally wandered into our garden" contains several issues that affect its grammatical correctness and clarity.
Firstly, the use of the relative pronoun "that" to introduce the subordinate clause is problematic. In this context, "that" is incorrect because it refers to a non-essential clause. The essential information is about everyone's fear, not about the dog wandering into the garden. To correct this, we should use the relative pronoun "which" or rephrase the sentence entirely.
Secondly, the placement of the adverb "accidentally" within the subordinate clause creates ambiguity. It modifies the verb "wandered," suggesting that the dog's wandering was unintentional. However, this does not directly relate to why everyone was scared. To clarify, we should place "accidentally" in a position where it clearly modifies the relevant action or state.
Thirdly, the sentence structure can be improved for better flow and clarity. The current phrasing is somewhat convoluted, making it difficult to understand the sequence of events. By restructuring the sentence, we can ensure that the main clause (everyone was scared) is clearly separated from the subordinate clause (the dog wandered into the garden).
To address these issues, a revised version of the sentence could be: "Everyone was scared when a dog accidentally wandered into our garden." This revision corrects the use of the relative pronoun, clarifies the modifier's placement, and improves the overall structure for better readability.