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Is it okay (in terms of usage) to use present participle clause for an action that follows another action as a result?

For instance, the following sentence seems correct to me:

The bomb will explode, sending shrapnel everywhere.

Yet the following sentence does not correct at all to me:

I will run one mile to reach my target, grabbing him.

I don't know how I feel about this sentence, I think it feels fine:

The cat leaped into the air, landing in the river.

This sentence feels pretty wrong:

I noticed my target, shooting until I hit him.

But this sentence feels fine:

The man took off from one end of the street, reaching the other side just in time.

And then obviously this sentence feels not great:

I will live a good life, dying.

But then this sentence feels fine:

I will live a good life, dying when it reaches its conclusion.

What's the differentiator here? Are my feelings correct?

Laurel
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user488257
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  • I agree with your feelings. I don't know the technical reasons why, though. – Barmar Sep 27 '23 at 23:26
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    The issue is, I think, whether there's a causal relationship: the bomb exploding causes the sending of shrapnel, but you running doesn't cause you to grab him. – alphabet Sep 27 '23 at 23:42
  • "I will run one mile to reach my target, grabbing him when I get there" is OK IMO, so it quite possibly is to do with causal relationships, or just the closeness of the relationship. – Stuart F Sep 28 '23 at 13:42

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