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a. I have a key to open the main gate in my room.

b. I have a toy to keep the dog amused in my pocket.

Are the above sentences grammatically correct?

Obviously the main gate is not in my room and the dog is not in my pocket. I think the sentences work, but are a bit awkward maybe.

This is the second question I'm asking about attachment ambiguity. I am exploring attachment ambiguity at present. In this case we have place adverbials which modify the nouns.

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    I don't see anything wrong with the grammar; they are technically ambiguous, so it might be considered better style to say "I have a toy in my pocket to keep the dog amused." Jan 10, 2022 at 10:40
  • Thank you very much for all your replies and Happy New Year. You have replied to a great number of my questions and your replies have always been precise and to the point. I really appreciate it.
    – azz
    Jan 10, 2022 at 11:05
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    They remind me a little of "One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas." The "realistic" interpretation is that I was in my pajamas, not the elephant, but the sentence is still grammatically correct.
    – stangdon
    Jan 10, 2022 at 12:47

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