What tense should I use after a comma?

[yslamac]

1) She shaved the sides of her head, dyed her hair burgundy and spiked the top.

2) She shaved the sides of her head, dying her hair burgundy and spiking the top.

Which of the above sentence is grammatically correct and why?

Thank you!

 

[emsr2d2]

They're both acceptable but the first, for me, is more natural.

 

[charliedeut]

To me (warning - foreigner's opinion ;-)), the second sounds like she was doing all three things at the same time (more or less, at least), while the first indicates more clearly that she followed a certain order.

 

[yslamac]

Thanks for both answers.

Actually, is a clause with participle like dying her hair burgundy and spiking the top, called absolute phrase? I always mix up those grammar items, and use my intuition instead of rules when composing a sentence.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Thanks for both answers.

Actually, is a clause with participle like dying her hair burgundy and spiking the top, called absolute phrase? I always mix up those grammar items, and use my intuition instead of rules when composing a sentence.

It doesn't matter what you call it, emsr's opinion is correct. The actions were sequential, not simultaneous.