Scribd
Upload
290 views

Participle Clauses

This document provides examples and explanations of participle clauses. Participle clauses use present, past, and perfect participles to add information to the main clause in a concise way. They are commonly used to indicate timing, reason, result, or additional details about the subject. Proper use of participles depends on whether they have an active or passive meaning that is consistent with the tense of the main clause verb. Participle clauses can follow conjunctions and prepositions to add contextually relevant information.

Uploaded by

Dan Hayes
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
290 views

Participle Clauses

This document provides examples and explanations of participle clauses. Participle clauses use present, past, and perfect participles to add information to the main clause in a concise way. They are commonly used to indicate timing, reason, result, or additional details about the subject. Proper use of participles depends on whether they have an active or passive meaning that is consistent with the tense of the main clause verb. Participle clauses can follow conjunctions and prepositions to add contextually relevant information.

Uploaded by

Dan Hayes
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 25

Participle Clauses

Some examples
 Looked after carefully, these boots will last for many years.

 Not wanting to hurt his feelings, I avoided the question.

 Having lived through difficult times together, they were very


close friends.
Quiz
 ___ lunch, I sat in the garden with a drink.
 Making
 Made
 Having made
 ___ for the bus, she slipped on some ice and fell
over.
 Running
 Run
 Having run
 On ___ her former owner, the dog ran across the room to
greet him.
 seeing
 seen
 having seen
 ___ in hospital for several weeks, she was delighted to be
home.
 Being
 Been
 Having been
 ___ by all the attention, he thanked everyone for the cake and
presents.
 Embarrassing
 Embarrassed
 Having embarrassed
 The building collapsed, ___ two people.
 injuring
 injured
 having injured
 ___ under normal clothes, a thermal layer keeps you warm in
minus temperatures.
 Wearing
 Worn
 Having been worn
 ___ by the sun, she didn't see the boy crossing the road.
 Blinding
 Blinded
 Having blinded
Grammar explanation
 Participle clauses enable us to say information in a more
economical way. They are formed using present
participles (going, reading, seeing, walking, etc.), past
participles (gone, read, seen, walked, etc.) or perfect
participles (having gone, having read, having seen,
having walked, etc.).
 We can use participle clauses when the participle and the
verb in the main clause have the same subject. For
example……
 Waiting for Ellie, I made some tea. (While I was waiting for
Ellie, I made some tea.)
 Participle clauses do not have a specific tense. The tense is
indicated by the verb in the main clause.
 Participle clauses are mainly used in written texts,
particularly in a literary, academic or journalistic style.
Present participle clauses

 Here are some common ways we use present participle


clauses. Note that present participles have a similar
meaning to active verbs. 
 To give the result of an action
The bomb exploded, destroying the building.
 To give the reason for an action
Knowing she loved reading, Richard bought her a book.
 To talk about an action that happened at the same time as
another action
Standing in the queue, I realised I didn't have any money.
 To add information about the subject of the main clause
Starting in the new year, the new policy bans cars in the
city centre.
Past participle clauses

 Here are some common ways that we use past participle


clauses. Note that past participles normally have a passive
meaning.
 With a similar meaning to an if condition
Used in this way, participles can make your writing more
concise. (If you use participles in this way, … )
 To give the reason for an action
Worried by the news, she called the hospital.
 To add information about the subject of the main clause
Filled with pride, he walked towards the stage.
Perfect participle clauses

 Perfect participle clauses show that the action they describe was
finished before the action in the main clause. Perfect participles
can be structured to make an active or passive meaning.
 Having got dressed, he slowly went downstairs.
 Having finished their training, they will be fully qualified
doctors.
 Having been made redundant, she started looking for a new job.
Participle clauses after conjunctions and prepositions

 It is also common for participle clauses, especially with -ing, to


follow conjunctions and prepositions such as before, after, instead
of, on, since, when, while and in spite of.
 Before cooking, you should wash your hands.
 Instead of complaining about it, they should try doing something
positive.
 On arriving at the hotel, he went to get changed.
 While packing her things, she thought about the last two years.
 In spite of having read the instructions twice, I still couldn’t
understand how to use it.
Quiz 2
 ___ by the changing information, they thought the plane was
cancelled.
 Confusing
 Confused
 Having confused
 ___ at a low temperature, these jeans will keep their original colour
for a long time.
 Washing
 Washed
 Having washed
 ___ the paper, he saw the news about his hometown.
 Reading
 Read
 Having read
 ___ by a local architect and artist, the house combines
traditional materials with original design.
 Building
 Built
 Having built
 ___ in India for two years, Kaleem could speak some Hindi.
 Living
 Lived
 Having lived
 ___ in prisons throughout her twenties, she wrote her first play
about life behind bars.
 After working
 Worked
 Having been worked
 ___ through the woods, they found a bird with a broken wing.
 Walking
 Walked
 Having walked
 ___ for the final interview, the candidates were asked to
prepare a short presentation.
 Selecting
 Selected
 Having been selected

You might also like