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Participle Clauses: Grammar Explanation

Participle clauses enable more concise writing by providing additional information about the subject or action in the main clause. They are formed using present, past, or perfect participles and do not have their own tense, taking the tense from the main clause. Common uses of participle clauses include giving reasons, results, or background information for an action in the main clause. Participle clauses are commonly used in more formal writing styles.

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94 views

Participle Clauses: Grammar Explanation

Participle clauses enable more concise writing by providing additional information about the subject or action in the main clause. They are formed using present, past, or perfect participles and do not have their own tense, taking the tense from the main clause. Common uses of participle clauses include giving reasons, results, or background information for an action in the main clause. Participle clauses are commonly used in more formal writing styles.

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Pau Teaches
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Participle clauses

Do you know how to use participle clauses to say information in a more economical way?
Look at these examples to see how participle clauses are used.
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.

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.

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