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Participle Clauses

This document discusses the use of -ing clauses, past participle (-ed) clauses, and being + past participle (-ed) clauses after nouns as an alternative to relative clauses. It provides examples of their proper uses, such as to describe simultaneous or continuous actions. It also discusses cases where they cannot be used, such as when another noun separates the relative pronoun from the verb. The document aims to explain the grammar rules for using these types of clauses.

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Bojana Jovanovska
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243 views2 pages

Participle Clauses

This document discusses the use of -ing clauses, past participle (-ed) clauses, and being + past participle (-ed) clauses after nouns as an alternative to relative clauses. It provides examples of their proper uses, such as to describe simultaneous or continuous actions. It also discusses cases where they cannot be used, such as when another noun separates the relative pronoun from the verb. The document aims to explain the grammar rules for using these types of clauses.

Uploaded by

Bojana Jovanovska
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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We can give information about someone or something using an -ing, past participle (-ed) or being + past

participle (-ed) clause after a noun. These clauses are often similar to defining relative clauses beginning
which, who, or that:
• We stood on the bridge connecting the two halves of the building, (or ...which connects/connected
the two halves...)
• The weapon used in the murder has now been found, (or The weapon that was used...)
• The prisoners being released are all women, (or ...who are being released...) See Unit 75 for participle
clauses with a meaning similar to non-defining relative clauses.

-ing clauses

We often use an -ing clause instead of a defining relative clause with an active verb:
• The man driving the bus is my brother, (or The man who is driving the bus...)
• The land stretching away to the left all belongs to Mrs Thompson, (or The land which stretches away
to the left...)
• Police took away Dr Li and items belonging to him. (or ...items which belong/belonged to him.)

We can't use an -ing clause. For example:


when there is a noun between the relative pronoun and the verb in the defining relative clause:
• The man who Tim is meeting for lunch is from Taiwan, (not ...the man Tim meeting...)
when the event or action talked about in the defining relative clause comes before the event or action
talked about in the rest of the sentence, except when the second event or action is the result of the first.
Compare:
• The snow which fell overnight has turned to ice. (not The snow falling overnight...)
and
• The snow which fell overnight has caused traffic chaos, (or The snow falling overnight has caused
traffic chaos.)
when we talk about a single, completed action in the defining relative clause, rather than a continuous
action. Compare:
• The girl who fell over on the ice broke her arm. (not The girl falling over...)
and
• I pulled off the sheets which covered the furniture, (or ...sheets covering the furniture.)

Past participle (-ed) and being + past participle (-ed) clauses

We often use a past participle or being + past participle clause instead of a defining relative clause with a
passive verb:
• The book published last week is his first written for children, (or The book that was published last
week...)
• The boys being chosen for the team are under 9. (or The boys who are being chosen...)

we can't use a past participle or being + past participle clause.


when there is a noun between the relative pronoun and the verb in the defining relative clause:
• The speed at which decisions are made in the company is worrying, (not The speed at which decisions
made...)
• The issue that club members are being asked to vote on at tonight's meeting is that of a fee increase...
(not The issue being asked to vote on...)
when the defining relative clause includes a modal verb other than will:
• There are a number of people who should be asked, (not ...people should be asked.)

We can use an -ing form of a verb or the past participle in a clause which has an adverbial meaning. A
clause like this often gives information about TIME or REASONS and RESULTS:
• Opening her eyes, the baby began to cry. (= When she opened her eyes...)
• Faced with a bill for £10, 000, John has taken an extra job. (= Because he is faced...)

They are often similar to non-defining relative clauses with which, who, or that:
• Feeling tired, Louise went to bed early, (or Louise, who was feeling tired, went...)
• Formed 25 years ago next month, the club is holding a party for past and present members. (or The
club, which was formed 25 years ago next month, is holding...)

The following sentences illustrate other forms of verbs in clauses like this:
• Being imported, the radios were more expensive.
• Having been hunted close to extinction, the rhino is once again common in this area.
In negative forms of sentences like this, not usually comes before the -ing form or past participle.
However, not can follow the -ing form or the past participle, depending on meaning:
• Not wanting to wake her, Steve left the house silently. (= He didn't want to...)
• Preferring not to go out that night, I made an excuse. (= I preferred not to...)
The implied subject of a clause like this is usually the same as the subject of the main clause:
• Arriving at the party, we saw Ruth standing alone. (= When we arrived...we saw...)
However, sometimes the implied subject is not referred to in the main clause:
• Having wanted to drive a train all his life, this was an opportunity not to be missed.
In general, using an -ing, past participle, or being + past participle clause instead of a clause beginning
with a conjunction (when, because, etc.) or a non-defining relative clause makes what we say or write
more formal. Clauses like this are used particularly in formal or literary writing. Some clauses like this are
used to give information about TIME:
• Glancing over his shoulder, he could see the dog chasing him. (= As he glanced ...)
• Having completed the book, he had a holiday. (= After he had completed the book...)
We use an -ing clause to talk about something that takes place at the same time or very close in time to
the action in the main clause:
• Putting on a serious face, she began to tell the story.
We often use an -ing clause in written narrative after quoted speech, when we want to say what
someone was doing while they were talking:
• 'Wait a minute,' said Frank, running through the door.
If the action described is relatively long compared with the one described in the main clause, we use a
clause beginning having + past participle:
• Having driven five hours to the meeting, Don learnt that it had been postponed.
Some clauses like this are used to talk about REASONS and RESULTS. For example:
• Knowing exactly what I wanted, I didn't spend much time shopping.
• Being slim, he could squeeze through the opening in the fence.
• Having been invited to the party, we could hardly refuse to go.

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