Notes 11/03

Participle clauses

You can use participle clauses to link events. There are

different types of participle clauses. Some have a present

participle or -ing form of the verb.

Looking around, I see plenty of elderly people with

families who are still lonely.

Some participle clauses have a perfect participle: having

+ past participle.

Having built up a successful career, I'm happy with

my life choices

To form a negative, add not before the participle.

• I've never conformed to social norms not being married

and not having had any children.

Using participle clauses in sentences

Participle clauses are not sentences. They need to go in a sentence together with a main

clause. The subject of the verb in the participle clause and the main clause is the same.

• Looking around, I see plenty of elderly people with families who are still lonely

() is the subject of looking in the participle clause and see in the main clause)

• Working in the PR industry, people are under enormous pressure.

(People is the subject of working and are.)

• Having built up a successful career, I'm happy with my life choices.

(I is the subject of having built up and 'm.)

Using participle clauses to add information about time

You can use participle clauses to link events and add information about time.

. Looking around, I see plenty of elderly people with families who are still lonely.

(= When I look around, ...)

• Growing up, I was always branded a rebel.

(= When I was growing up, ...)

Having built up a successful career, I'm happy with my life choices.

Using participle clauses to add information about reason

A participle clause can also link events by adding a reason. It can express the idea of "because

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. I never met anyone, working as hard as I do.

(= because I work as hard as I do)

• I've never conformed to social norms, not having had any children.

(= because I haven't had any children)

Using participle clauses in writing vs

In writing, the subject of the verb in the participle clause and

the main clause must be the same.

• Working in the PR industry, people are under enormous

pressure to look good,

(NOT Working in the PR industry your clothes are

important. This is not correct in writing because your

Glothes cannot be the subject of working.)

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