Participle Clauses

1. Types of participle clauses

We form participle clauses from the relative clauses. There are two types of participle clauses:

• Participle clause added to the noun phrase​​ (after the noun)​​ 

  • Present participle clause (-ing)

  • Past​​ participle clause (-ed)

  • being + -ed

  • To-infinitive clause (to do)

• Participle clause with adverbial meaning​​ (usually added at the beginning of the sentence)

  • Present participle:​​ Opening the door, she …

  • Past participle:​​ Faced with a lot of problems, he​​ …

  • Perfect participle:​​ Having arrived early, she​​ …

2. Use of participle clauses

After a noun phrase:

• To simplify the sentence

• To give extra information​​ 

• To express ideas concisely

• To reduce two sentences into one

• To describe the way or manner in which​​ something happened

• If one action is interrupted by the other (using while)

• To show sequence of events

• The subject of the participle clause and the subject of the main clause are usually the same

With adverbial meaning:

• Because/so (not wishing to offend anyone) reason

• When / once / after (having worked out …

• And – he fell off the leather, breaking a leg and three ribs.

• To indicate events happening at the same time

• To indicate sequence of events

• If – cooked in their skin…

• After objects of see, hear,​​ watch, notice, feel, find (see unit ….)

• With a preposition

3. Participle clause added to the noun phrase

a. Present participle clause

We form the present participle clause from a defining​​ relative clause that uses the present or past continuous​​ tense. It is used to give extra information about an activity in progress.

I recognised the woman​​ standing​​ in the doorway.​​ (the woman​​ who was standing​​ in the doorway)

The artist​​ exhibiting​​ today is Banksy.​​ (the artist​​ who is exhibiting)

b. Past​​ Participle clause

We form the past participle clause from a defining​​ relative clause with a passive verb.

 The weapon​​ used​​ in the robbery has not been found.​​ (the weapon​​ which was used)

 The employees​​ fired​​ will not be compensated. (the employees​​ who are fired)

 c. being + -ed

We form the​​ being + -ed​​ clause from the defining​​ relative clause which​​ has a passive verb in the continuous form. We use this form to emphasise something that is happening or will be happening.

The students​​ being chosen​​ for the​​ competition are in primary school.​​ (the students​​ who are being chosen)

 The motorists​​ being stopped​​ by the police are mostly men.​​ (the motorist​​ who are being stopped)

d. To-infinitive clause

The to-infinitive clause is​​ formed after:

• A superlative + noun

The easiest way to learn​​ a new language is by living in the country. (the easiest way in which​​ you can learn ….)

• The first / the second etc. + noun

Wiley Post was​​ the first person to fly​​ around the world solo. (The first person who​​ flew around the​​ world.)

• The only / the next / the last / another / the one + noun

The last person to finish​​ dinner will have to clean up the kitchen!​​ (The last person who​​ finishes…)

• To replace a model verb

There are a​​ few ways to solve​​ this issue.​​ (There are a few ways​​ that can​​ solve this issue.)

4. Participle clause with adverbial meaning

• • Present participle:​​ Opening the door, she …

  • Past participle:​​ Faced with a lot of problems, he​​ …

  • Perfect participle:​​ Having arrived early, she​​ …

Note:​​ 

It is sometimes possible to have two different subjects for the participle clause and the main clause in two ways:

• The front entrance​​ being locked,​​ Fred​​ had to walk round the building to find the back door.

• With his love life​​ (being)​​ messed up,​​ Alan​​ decided to start his life​​ afresh.​​ 

Opening​​ the door,​​ I​​ discovered​​ that there was a fire in the kitchen. = when I opened the door, I discovered….

As​​ the front door​​ was locked,​​ I​​ had to walk to the back door.-> the front door​​ being​​ locked, I had to walk …..