Grammar has so many “technically correct” yet odd sentence structures.
The sentence definitely has a weird flow and could absolutely contain reader assistance via punctuation.
I think a colon would be the most apt punctuation here.
The tracks are now unruly and wild, the people tied to them: killed in crosswalks
But to be honest I was fine with no punctuation. The bit that most bothers me is the choice of preposition. You don’t go in a crosswalk. You go on it. Or maybe you’re at the crosswalk when you’re killed. But certainly not in.
I don’t see a missing word.
I see a lot of other problems, but not a missing word…
A comma maybe, then.
‘the people once tied to them killed in a crosswalk’ really sounds weird to me.
Heck, my phone agrees.
Not a native speaker but for me it sounds fine. The “are now” is left out because it would be repeated if that makes sense.
“The people, [who were] tied to them, [are now] killed in a crosswalk.”
You’re missing “once”
So that’s the missing word everyone is bothered by. It wasn’t in the post but in a low level comment. What an unexpected but well executed pay-off!
Grammar has so many “technically correct” yet odd sentence structures.
The sentence definitely has a weird flow and could absolutely contain reader assistance via punctuation.
Seems like a stylistic choice to me. Leaving out the “have been” makes it sound more poetic, but I don’t think it’s wrong per se
I think a colon would be the most apt punctuation here.
But to be honest I was fine with no punctuation. The bit that most bothers me is the choice of preposition. You don’t go in a crosswalk. You go on it. Or maybe you’re at the crosswalk when you’re killed. But certainly not in.
In (the area of) a crosswalk would make sense?
That said, not English native speaker.
You don’t see it because it’s missing
I answered the comment below you but I couldn’t resist this stupid joke
You can add the word “fucking” pretty much anywhere.
And it’s rarely wrong to do so!