Grammar

B2+
participle clauses

Recommended for:
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Focus
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2019 1
 Sometimes it sounds better to be more
concise when we talk or write, and
using participles can help with this.
Let’s look at:
1. What participle clauses are and when we use them.
2. Participle clauses with relative clauses.
3. Joining independent clauses using participle clauses.

When and why do we

use them?

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 Function: Why do we use participle
clauses?
Yes, it is, but sitting
Isn’t that the girl next to me at work all
working at your week, she probably
new office? doesn’t want to see me
at the weekend!

Look at the bold

Do the shorter or
section for girl 1.
longer versions
What would the full
sound more
relative clause be
interesting/concise?
here? E.g. the girl
who...
Now look at the bold
section for girl 2. How
could you make this Shorter
Isn’t that the girl an independent She sits next to
who works/is clause, connected me at work all
working at your with and….E.g. ...and week, and she
new office? she probably doesn’t... probably
doesn’t want
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 Function: Why do we use participle
clauses?
To join clauses together by using fewer words. It can make sentences more interesting.

This replaces who works/is working.

Notice how the

subjects of both
Isn’t that the girl working at your new office? clauses are the same.
More on this later...
This replaces she sits next to me at work all week and...

Both these examples

are in the present,
Yes, it is, but sitting next to me at work all week, but participle clauses
she probably doesn’t want to see me at the weekend! can be used with any
tense. More on this
later...

Reduced relative clauses?

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 reduced relative clauses
First of all, let’s make sure we know what a present and past participle are. Complete
the examples in the table.

Irregular verbs
verb infinitive present participle past participle
to drive driving drove Regular verbs

to fly flying flown

In both examples,
to walk walking walked are the subjects of
The both clauses the
to return returning returned same same or different?

In the passive voice,

Look at more examples with and without the participle clauses. do we reduce the
relative clause using a
A. The man driving the car was her brother. present or past
B. The man who was driving the car was her brother. participle?

Past
A. The painting returned this week to the museum was an original.
B. The painting which was returned this week to the museum was an And in the active?
original.
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 reduced relative clauses
1. To create participle clauses, we use present or past participles.

The girl returning from the shop is his sister. The book returned to the library was damaged.
Pa
Act

s si v
e
iv
e

2. We use the present participle to replace a clause in the active voice, and the past participle for the passive.

3. In order to use a participle clause to reduce or shorten a relative clause, the subject of both clauses must be the
same.

The girl returning from the shop is his sister. The book returned to the library was damaged.

The same The same

The girl is his sister… The girl returned from the shop. The book was damaged… the book was returned.

4. A participle clause can be used to replace a clause in any tense, as long as the tense is clear from the context.

Joining clauses
together...
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 joining independent clauses
Look at these examples and answer the questions.
Which words are
Louise walked to the shop and she saw Angela outside the bakery. omitted in the
participle
Walking the shop, Louise saw Angela outside the bakery. clauses?

Jimmy donates money to the charity because he believes in the cause. Linking words,
Jimmy donates money to the charity believing in the cause. auxiliary
verbs,
subjects

The clothes were made in China because they ended up cheaper that way.
Made in China, the clothes ended up cheaper.
Does the participle clause
come at the beginning of
the sentence, end, or
As with the both?
In the last example, notice
reduced relative
that there is a dependent
clauses, are the
preposition with the verb
subjects the same
(made in). The Both
or different?
same
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 joining independent clauses
1. When joining two independent clauses, the participle clause often replaces the subject, linking word, and any auxiliary
verb. Don’t forget: active voice = present participle; passive voice = past participle, and the subjects must be the same!

subject auxiliary linker

The clothes were made in China because they ended up cheaper that way.

Made in China, the clothes ended up cheaper.

2. The participle clauses can go at the beginning or end of the sentence. You need to use a comma if it’s at the beginning.

Walking to the shop, Louise saw Angela outside the bakery.

comma
Jimmy donates money to the charity believing in the cause.

3. Don’t forget to include the dependent prepositions with the participle if necessary.

Made in China, the clothes ended up cheaper.

Let’s practise...
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 Practice activities
Write these sentences again, but shorten them using participle clauses.

1. The restaurant is located by the bus station and serves very tasty food.
Located by the bus station, the restaurant serves very tasty food. Notice how the
perfect tenses
2. Steffi has lived in Mexico before, so she understands Spanish well. work.

Having lived in Mexico before, Steffi understands Spanish well.

3. Helen learned the language quickly and settled into her new life on the coast.
Remember that
the participle
Helen settled into her new life on the coast learning the language quickly. clauses can go at
4. Emiliano was caught cheating on the test, so was sent to the headmaster. the beginning or
end of the
Caught cheating on the test, Emiliano was sent to the headmaster. sentence.

5. Daniel had worked with Veronica previously, so they already got on well.
Daniel and Veronica already got on well having worked together previously.

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