Can someone please explain how the phrase “While reading the book” functions in the following sentence: “While reading the book, remember to take notes about the main characters.”

Question

Can someone please explain how the phrase “While reading the book” functions in the following sentence: “While reading the book, remember to take notes about the main characters.”

Answer 1

"While" in this case is a subordinating conjunction meaning that the sentence has an independent and a dependent clause. The independent clause is "remember to take notes about the main characters" and the dependent clause is "While reading the book". The dependent clause cannot stand on its own (hence the name dependent) and modifies the independent clause.

Answer 2

It is an adverbial phrase modifying the verb "remember".

Answer 3

When you are reading about a character, it is recommended that you stop reading and write down some details about the main characters. Your written notes can contain a description of the character, their personality, etc. Repeat this step after each main character you encounter in the book. I hope this is what you wanted to know.