Why is this sentence incorrect: Having risen because of the rains, the hikers were unable to cross the river.

Answer by  iwillinvent (63)

The sentence is in incorrect form because the phrase "having risen because of the rains" is modifying (talking about) the hikers, when you want it to talk about the river. Better: The hikers were unable to cross the river, which had risen because of the rains.

Answer by  Adi (175)

There is a subject (the hikers) and a verb (cross). The river is the subject of the rising, though it is not connected to the description of the rising until later on.