Present participles (e.g. going, breaking, starting), and past participles (e.g. gone, broken, started) are used with auxiliary verbs to form continuous, perfect and passive forms, or as adjectives:
He's just dashing after her. It'll be done as soon as possible.
It's an exhausting job. She's got a broken arm.
Note the difference between adjectives ending in -ing and -ed. The present participle (e.g. exciting, interesting, boring) describes the person or thing that is initiating the action. The past participle (e.g. excited, interested, bored) describes someone's reaction to something:
I thought the race was very exciting. We were very interested in the film.
Participles can be used to give a reason for doing something, or to show a time connection between clauses/phrases: Realizing she was wrong, she apologized. Having paid the bill, he left the hotel.
Тhe subject of the participle clause should be the same as in the main clause, but note the following exceptions to this rule: generally/broadly speaking, taking everything into consideration/account, supposing, providing, considering, judging by/from:
Generally speaking, these plants grow better in chalky soil.
Providing no one objects, I'll reschedule the meeting.
Exercise 1. Complete the sentences by filling the gaps with a suitable participle.
_____ delivered the message, the boy went home.
We were awfully _____ by the company's decision, which seemed quite wrong to us.
He was thrilled by the film and thought it very _____.
The burglar must have got in through the _____ window.
_____ you had no money, what would you do?
_____ rather exhausted, she decided to give the meeting a miss.
The departmental head spoke to his assistant, _____ why he was being so uncooperative.
_____ packed our cases, we took a taxi to the airport.
_____ everything into consideration, I think you are right.
How can we motivate the children? They always look so _____ when we talk to them.
She entered the room, _____ a tray of soft drinks.
_____ unable to concentrate, I fell asleep.
Some past participles used as adjectives change their meaning according to their position.
Concerned after a noun means relevant or affected, but before a noun it means worried: The grant will be given to the family concerned. Concerned parents have expressed their anxiety.
Adopted after a noun means chosen, but before a noun it usually refers to a child who officially becomes part of someone else's family: There was uproar over the policy adopted. The adopted child will never discover the identity of his parents.
Involved after a noun means relevant or affected, but before a noun it means complicated: I'll have a word with the people involved. He gave us a long and involved explanation.
Exercise 3. Correct the sentences if necessary.
When booking a room for myself and my wife, the receptionist was rather rude to me.
Looking at my diary, there were several double-booked appointments.
Remember to use unleaded petrol whenever filling the tank.
I hope you've mentioned this to the concerned people in the matter.
Not having written about the required topic, the teacher gave my presentation a low mark.
It was an extremely involved story he told us. I couldn't make head or tail of it.
Judging from his expression, you are about to be disciplined!
The employees involved will have their pay docked.
The club approved of the adopted solution by the sub-committee.
Once ensconced in his comfortable armchair, the television didn't bother him at all.
Participial constructions: present and past participial phrases.
Participial phrases used in place of clauses are quite formal and characterise written language. A participle must have the same subject as the verb in the main clause. We use present participial phrases:
when two actions by the same subject take place at the same time: Holding his hand, she led him through the crowd.
when one action immediately follows another or is a direct result of it: Seeing her on the other side of the road, I quickly tried to hide.
in place of clauses of time (present or perfect participle after time conjunctions after, before, since, while, on): After speaking/having spoken to her, I felt much better. I didn't like him on first meeting him.
in place of clauses of reason: Being happy with my results, I decided to go out and celebrate. Having lived here all his life, he knows a lot about the town. Having had an argument with him the night before, I didn't want to speak to him.
in place of clauses of concession (after although and while): While fully understanding your problem, I can't allow you to break the rules.
in place of defining subject relative clauses: The woman living next door works for a television company.
Exercise 4. Rewrite the sentences below, using a present participial or perfect participial phrase.
I went round to see her. I was hoping for a reconciliation.
I had plenty of time to spare so I had a good look round the town.
I had been out all day so I was quite happy to stay in for the evening.
The bedrooms that overlook the sea are the best ones in the hotel.
We are wasting time. We are sitting here and doing nothing.
Before I make a decision, I need to discuss it with my partner.
We had been friends for twenty years and suddenly we had a big argument and haven't seen each other since.
I had failed one of my exams so I couldn't get into university.
Because he loved her so much, he forgave her for everything.
I have changed my job since I last wrote to you.
The past participle can replace subject+passive verb:
Loved by all who knew him, he devoted his life to others.
Her books, read by people all over the world, are still immensely popular.
Lost for many years, the manuscript suddenly turned up again.
Being+past participle following after, before, when, since, while, on, by:
After being cleaned, the bike looked as good as new.
Since being elected, the government has had one crisis after another.
When being questioned, he suddenly burst into tears.
The message got across to people by being repeated over and over again.
Exercise 5. Rewrite the sentences below using a past participial phrase or being+past participial phrase.
I was exhausted through lack of sleep and fell asleep at my desk.
Peter was abandoned by his parents at an early age and took to stealing.
Although it was written many years ago, the book is still relevant today.
Since I was promoted, I've had no time to go out.
The money was hidden in the cellar. It was not discovered for many years.
Frequently criticized for his self-centred attitude but he was nonetheless very popular.
After he was released from prison, Andy couldn't find a job anywhere.
When he was caught, he confessed everything. (On...)
If we are elected, we will increase the value of pensions.
Unless it is destroyed, this material could have damaging consequences.
Exercise 6. Rewrite the following text, changing clauses to participial phrases where possible.
Vincent Van Gogh, who was born in Holland in 1853, is one of the world's most famous painters. Although his talent was unrecognized throughout his life, it was much appreciated after his death.
After he had failed in every career he had attempted, Van Gogh first turned to art to express his strong religious feelings. After he had decided to become a painter, in about 1880, he started to paint studies of peasants and miners. During the next few years, which are known as his 'Dutch period', he produced paintings with rather dark greenish-brown colours.
In 1886, when he went to Paris to visit his brother Theo, he was immediately attracted to the Impressionist work he saw there. He was encouraged by Pissarro to use more colour in his pictures and his subsequent paintings were bright and immensely colourful.
After Van Gogh had moved to Arles in the south of France, in 1888, he worked frantically. This frenzied activity, which was interrupted by bouts of deep depression and despair, produced the majority of his most famous paintings. One of these, which is called Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear, shows Van Gogh: he was wearing a bandage after he had cut off his own ear. A year later, in 1890, he committed suicide.
A lot is known about Van Gogh's life and his feelings because of the hundreds of letters which were written by him to his brother Theo and others. Because his brother believed in Van Gogh's genius, he always encouraged him in his work. He was the person closest to Van Gogh.