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The sentence in question is

Returns the value of the function as if it were attached to this attribute ( ) under a fast evaluation ( ) according to the current state.

It feels like there should be some punctuation in the place of the ( ). Should they be commas? Should the first be colon and the second a comma. Should there be punctuation at all?

Although I understand the words let me add that English is not my first language.

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    It doesn't make any sense to me. But whatever it means, it's not a sentence, since there's no grammatical "subject" for the verb returns.
    – FumbleFingers
    Commented Apr 19, 2016 at 17:01
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    @FumbleFingers It appears to be related to programming/mathematics (I may be wrong) but summaries and documentations often omit subjects because summaries sit on top of the thing that they're describing, so it's inferred. See here for an example.
    – The Anathema
    Commented Apr 19, 2016 at 17:54
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    @The Anathema: I never suggested such constructions don't occur in special contexts. But by most people's definition it's not a sentence.
    – FumbleFingers
    Commented Apr 19, 2016 at 18:01
  • It depends on how those clauses are related. Is it attached under a fast evaluation? Or does it return under a fast evaluation? Without more context (or programming knowledge), we don't know.
    – Jacktose
    Commented Apr 19, 2016 at 21:26
  • @FumbleFingers, there is an implicit subject.
    – dangph
    Commented Apr 21, 2016 at 8:25

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You might consider reordering the sentence like so:

"Returns the value of the function, according to the current state, as if it were attached to this attribute and under a fast evaluation."

Without context, I'm not sure if the bolded and should stay or be removed.

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  • I think this is the right approach. Rewrite the sentence to make its structure less ambiguous.
    – dangph
    Commented Apr 21, 2016 at 8:35

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