I am a little confused about what the participle phrase 'rising to' modifies in the following three setences. Does it modify the subject of the main clause or the number in the main clause?
I may have been taught in high shcool that the participle phrase can only modify the subject of a main clause, or the word right in front of a participle phrase, but these two rules seem to be inappropriate in the cases listed below:
1 Coal was used to produce 50 of the total 100 units of electricity in Australia in 1980, rising to 130 out of 170 units in 2000.
2 Washing machines were the fourth most common item, with 66% of households owning one in 1972, rising to 80% of households in 1983.
3 These places are home to almost 3 billion people, rising to 5 billion by mid-century.
I may have been taught in high shcool that the participle phrase can only modify the subject of a main clause, or the word right in front of a participle phrase, but these two rules seem to be inappropriate in the cases listed below:
1 Coal was used to produce 50 of the total 100 units of electricity in Australia in 1980, rising to 130 out of 170 units in 2000.
2 Washing machines were the fourth most common item, with 66% of households owning one in 1972, rising to 80% of households in 1983.
3 These places are home to almost 3 billion people, rising to 5 billion by mid-century.