participle clauses

participle clauses

Present participle clauses

• 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

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 add information about the subject of the main clause: Filled with pride, he walked towards the stage.

• To give the reason for an action: Worried by the news, she called the hospital.

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.

Multiple Choice

___ by the changing information, they thought the plane was cancelled.

• Confusing

• Confused

• Having confused

Multiple Choice

___ at a low temperature, these jeans will keep their original colour for a long time.

• Washed

• Washing

• Having washed

Multiple Choice

___ the paper, he saw the news about his hometown.

• Read

• Reading

• Having read

Multiple Choice

___ by a local architect and artist, the house combines traditional materials with original design.

• Building

• Built

• Having built

Multiple Choice

___ in India for two years, Kaleem could speak some Hindi.

• Living

• Lived

• Having lived

Multiple Choice

___ in prisons throughout her twenties, she wrote her first play about life behind bars.

• After working

• Worked

• Having been worked

Multiple Choice

___ through the woods, they found a bird with a broken wing.

• Walking

• Having walked

• Walked

Multiple Choice

___ for the final interview, the candidates were asked to prepare a short presentation.

• Having been selected

• Selecting

• Selected