I have two possible sentences of the some situation and I am confused:
- Realizing he did not belong there, he left the meeting early.
- He left the meeting early, realizing he did not belong there.
Does the second sentence lack the causation feel that the first sentence shows? The first sentence seems to say that he left early BECAUSE he figured out he didn't belong. The second sentence seems to say that he left early WHILE knowing that he didn't belong.
For another situation:
- Shooting people on sight, he barged into the house.
- He barged into the house, shooting people on sight.
For this pair, the first sentence means that BECAUSE he had just shot people on sight, he then barged into the house. The second sentences means that he barged into the house WHILE shooting people on sight.
Best Answer
I would not say that the second sentence lacks the sense of causation, but it indicates a less significant role.
Placing realizing in the post- location suggests to me that the feeling of not belonging was one contributing factor in the decision to leave. Had he felt that he belonged, that might have over-ridden the other factors that compelled him to leave.
Placing it before the action, conveys the sense that it was his principal motivation.