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To perform this pose, they rest on their legs while positioned wide apart, as if they were straddling an invisible horse. (while those legs are positioned)

After I saw that sentence above, I started wondering the way that "while" was used. As far as I know, if you want to reduce the "while part" of a sentence, subjects of the clauses must be the same (subject of the main clause,and subject of the while clause). But here they are different, one subject is "they"(talking about models) the other is "legs". I think we need comma here because it is unclear that who or what is positioned.

Another question: Don't we need "being" before "positioned" here? As in:

To perform this pose, they rest on their legs, while being positioned wide apart, as if they were straddling an invisible horse.

I have written some examples to understand the issue better. Which versions of the examples are grammatically correct?

1- You can read the new issue of my journal when it is published. (it refers to the "new issue of the journal")

1a- You can read the new issue of my journal, when published.

1b- You can read the new issue of my journal when published.

2- I touched the meat while it was being heated in the pan. (it refers to "the meat")

2a- I touched the meat, while being heated in the pan.

2b- I touched the meat while being heated in the pan.

3- You can use my computer if it is available. (it refers to "the computer")

3a- You can use my computer, if available.

3b- You can use my computer if available.

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  • I assume you made up the first example yourself. It's not idiomatic to include the word while there, so there's no real point in discussing how it works in that context. It just doesn't. – FumbleFingers Reinstate Monica Jun 12 '19 at 14:15
  • I found it in a magazine.The thing puzzles me is these kind of sentences: "So check all cylinder fins periodically and clean them if necessary. " "If possible, could you do my work? " "Restock supplies when necessary" – Talha Özden Jun 12 '19 at 14:30
  • It is a slip - the problem is that what is positioned is still they, not their legs. 1 is fine. 1a is OK for a newspaper headline but not for speech, 1b is wrong for me. 2 is OK but in 2a and 2b it is I that gets heated, not the meat. 3 is the same as 1 but NB it should be my computer, not the my computer. – user96060 Jun 12 '19 at 14:42
  • The examples in your comment are not like the ones in your post - they mean if it is necessary TO CLEAN THEM, if it is possible FOR YOU DO MY WORK and when it is necessary TO RESTOCK SUPPLIES. In the OP the reference is just to one element of the previous phrase, but in these examples it is to the whole prhase. – user96060 Jun 12 '19 at 14:46

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