Present Participle Clauses
Perfect Participle Clauses
About Participle Clauses exercises
A participle clause is a shorter way to write a clause that has a full subject and verb. It uses an -ing form, a perfect form (having finished) or a past participle. These forms are common in formal writing and in narrative. At C1 and C2 level, the sets cover three groups: present participle clauses, perfect participle clauses and absolute constructions.
The usual rule is that the participle clause and the main clause share the same subject: Walking home, I met Anna. Perfect participles show that one action came first: Having finished the report, she left. A negative form puts not before the participle: Not knowing the answer, he guessed. A participle can also show result: The engine failed, leaving us stranded. Absolute constructions have their own subject: The meeting over, they went home. Weather permitting, we will sail. A mismatch gives an error: Walking down the street, the rain started suggests that the rain was walking.
- Present participle clauses for actions at the same time
- Clauses of reason and result with -ing (..., destroying the roof)
- Negative participle clauses (Not knowing...)
- Perfect participle clauses, active and passive (Having been warned...)
- Telling a perfect participle from an -ing form
- Absolute constructions, with-clauses and fixed phrases (weather permitting)