►Participle I - Participle II

In the sentence the participle may occur:

(a) singly (as a single participle) i.e. without accompanying words.
• She went away smiling. Она ушла, улыбаясь. (‘smiling’ is a single participle; it is
usedin the function of an adverbial modifier of manner)
• A broken toy lay on the floor. Сломанная игрушка лежала на полу. (‘broken’ is a
singleparticiple; it is used in the function of an attribute)
(b) in phrases (as a participial phrase), i.e. with one or several accompanying words.
• Having finished my lessons, I went home. Закончив уроки, я пошел домой.
(‘Having finished my lessons’ is a participial phrase; it is used in the function of an
adverbial modifier of time.)
• This plant, hidden from the light, has kept its flowers till the autumn. (‘hidden from
the light’ is a participial phrase; it is used in the function of an attribute) (c) in
predicative constructions, i.e. constructions consisting of two elements/ components:
a nominal element (noun or pronoun) and a verbal element (participle
I - participle II); the verbal element stands in predicate relation to the nominal
element, i.e. in a relation similar to that between the subject and the predicate of the
sentence. In most cases predicative constructions form syntactic units, serving as one
part of the sentence.
• I saw him walking along the street. Я видел, как он шел по улице. (‘him walking’
is the Objective Participial Construction; it is used in the function of a complex
object)
• Where did you have your photo taken? Где ты фотографировался? (‘photo taken’
is the Objective Participial Construction; it is used in the function of a complex
object)
• The children/they were seen running to the river. Видели, как дети/они бежали к
реке. (‘The children/they – running’ is the Subjective Participial Construction; it is
used in the function of a complex subject)
• The rain having ruined my hat, I had to buy a new one. Так как дождь сделал
непригодной мою шляпу, мне пришлось купить новую. (‘The rain having ruined
my hat’ is the Nominative Absolute Participial Construction; it is used in the function
of an adverbial modifier of cause.)
● Note: In written English, it is usual to move from the familiar (the current topic) to
the new and to be economical with words and avoid repetition. Participial and
infinitive phrases help us to do these things. Compare these examples:
• Steve went home. He noticed a piece of paper which had been left on the doorstep
as he walked towards the door. →> Steve went home. Walking towards the door, he
noticed a piece of paper left on the doorstep. (порог)
• Because Marion didn’t have a degree, she was the only one who wasn’t offered a
permanent contract. →> Not having a degree, Marion was the only one not to be
offered a permanent contract.

◄► The Functions of Participle I in the Sentence

1. Participle I Indefinite Active can be used as an attribute.
It is rendered in Russian by a clause or действительное причастие. A single
participle in attributive position usually precedes the noun it modifies but a participial
phrase follows the noun it modifies.
• I looked at the smiling child. (The child is smiling; I looked at the child who was
smiling.)
• The girl standing at the window is my sister. (The girl who was standing at the
window is my sister.)
• Let sleeping dogs lie. (proverb: ‘Не буди лиха, пока лихо спит’.) (‘sleeping’ is a
single participle in the function of an attribute. It precedes the noun it modifies, i.e. it
is used in preposition.)
• There are some other people waiting for you. (‘waiting for you’ is a participial
phrase in the function of an attribute. It follows the noun it modifies, i.e. it is used in
post-position.)
• Do you know the woman talking to Tom? (The woman is talking to Tom.)
• The large building being built in our street is a new school. (The large building is
being built in our street)
• I found myself in an embarrassing situation last night. Я оказался в
затруднительном положении вчера вечером.
• The man is very noisy. The man lives upstairs. → The man who lives upstairs is
very noisy. → The man living upstairs is very noisy.
• Note 1. Participle I Perfect Active and Passive is not used as an attribute because
it cannot express priority. In this case an attributive clause should be used. In Russian
we have perfective participle active (действительное причастие прошедшего
времени, с суффиксом -вш), e.g. спросивший, переводивший, уехавший,
вернувшийся.
• The children who had been playing in the garden went home. Дети, игравшие
(которые играли) в саду, ушли домой.
• I’ve just talked to the students who came back from their school practice last week.
Я только что разговаривал со студентами, вернувшимися с практики на
прошлой неделе.
• The man who came yesterday is my friend. Человек, приходивший вчера, мой
друг.
• The people who were present at the meeting approved of the proposal.
Cf. • I addressed the woman standing on the porch. Я обратился к женщине,
стоявшей на крыльце, (simultaneous actions) = I addressed the woman who was
standing on the porch.
• The woman who had been standing on the porch went into the house. Женщина,
стоявшая на крыльце, вошла в дом. (‘who had been standing’ → a prior action)
However, in rendering the Russian действительное причастие прошедшего
времени, when it refers to no particular time, a participle is usually used in English.
The road joining the two villages was very narrow. Дорога, соединявшая две
деревни, была очень узкая.
• I couldn’t think of the name of a flower beginning with ‘T’? Я не мог придумать
название цветка, начинавшегося с ‘T’.
• I lived in a pleasant room overlooking the garden.
• We stopped at the turning of the road leading to the nearest village.
• Note 2. We can’t use -ing: when we talk about a single completed action in the
defining relative clause, rather than a continuous action.
Cf. • The girl who fell over on the ice broke her arm. Девочка, упавшая на льду,
сломала руку.
• I pulled off the sheets which covered the furniture. Or: I pulled off the sheets
covering the furniture. Я убрала простыни, покрывавшие мебель.
• They stumbled on the snow turning to icy water. Они спотыкались в снегу,
который превращался в ледяную воду.
• He came up to the kids waiting for the school bell to ring. Он подошел к детям,
ожидавшим, когда прозвенит школьный звонок.
• The thief who took her bag has been arrested. (single completed action; we can’t
use here: The thief taking her bag has been arrested. or The thief having taken her
bag has been arrested.)
• Note 3. In formal English, that and those can be used before a participle adjective:
• Here is some advice for those (those = people) preparing to go on holiday.
• We were able to speak to all students except those working in the laboratory. Мы
имели возможность поговорить со всеми студентами, за исключением тех,
которые работали в лаборатории (или: за исключением студентов, работавших
в лаборатории).
II. Participle I can be used as an adverbial modifier:
a) of time.
In Russian it is rendered by a clause or деепричастие.
• Opening his eyes, the baby began to cry. (= When the baby opened his eyes, he
began to cry.)
• Turning slowly, she went to her room. Медленно повернувшись, она пошла в
комнату.
• Seizing ink and writing paper, she began to write. Схватив чернила и бумагу, она
начала писать.
• Leaving the motorway, we noticed an overturned truck on the verge (обочина). (=
As/When we were leaving the motorway, we noticed an overturned truck on the
verge.)
• Having thrown the letter into the fire, he left the room. (= After he had thrown the
letter into the fire, he left the room.) Бросив письмо в огонь, он вышел из
комнаты.
• Having returned from a business trip, he suggested new methods of work.
• Returning to London, he threw himself into the work.
• Having finished her work, she went home.
• Having taken off his shoes, John walked into the house. Сняв туфли, Джон зашел
в дом.
• Having passed my driving test, I was able to buy my first car. (= After I had passed
my driving test, I was able to buy my first car.)
• Having been warned that bad weather lay ahead, the captain changed the course.
We use Participle I Indefinite to talk about something that takes place at the same
time or very close in time to the action expressed by the predicate.
• Waving their scarves and shouting, the fans ran into the pitch. центральная часть
поля (крикет)
• Opening a letter, she found that it contained a cheque for ₤1000.
• Putting on a serious face, she began to tell the story.
Sometimes we can use either Participle I Indefinite or Participle I Perfect with
similar meanings, although using Participle I Perfect emphasizes that something is
completed before the action expressed by the predicate begins. Compare:
• Taking off his shoes, Ray walked into the house.
• Having taken off his shoes, Ray walked into the house.
If the action described is relatively long compared with the one described by the
finite form of the verb, we use a Participial phrase with Participle I Perfect:
• Having driven five hours to the meeting, Don learnt that it had been postponed.
If the action expressed by Participle I Indefinite Active is simultaneous with the
action expressed by the finite verb, the conjunction when or while is often used.
• When going home, I met my friend. (=When I was going home, I met my friend.)
• Often, when boasting of his deceits (обман), he sounded childish and innocent.
• John hurt his hand while playing tennis.
• While (when) waiting for his friend, he walked up and down the corridor. Ожидая
своего друга, он ходил взад и вперед по коридору.
• He felt horrible while saying this.
Participle I Indefinite of the verb ‘to be’ is not used as an adverbial modifier of time.
Clauses of the type ‘Когда он был ребенком, ...’ may be translated ‘When a
boy ...’, ‘When he was a boy…’.
• When a boy, he liked to play tennis. (= When he was a boy, he liked to play tennis.)
Когда он был мальчиком, он любил играть в теннис.
• When hot, the body emits infra-red radiation. (= When the body is hot, it emits
infrared radiation.) Когда тело раскалено, оно испускает инфракрасные лучи.
• When young, he took great interest in chemistry. (= When he was young, he took
great interest in chemistry.) Когда он был молодым (будучи молодым), он
проявлял большой интерес к химии.
• While in Moscow last summer, they often went to the theatre. (=While they were
in Moscow last summer, they often went to the theatre.) В то время как они
находились в Москве прошлым летом, они часто ходили в театр.
b) of cause.
• Not knowing where to go, I turned back. (=As I didn’t know where to go, I turned
back.)
• Hoping to catch the train, we took a taxi. (= Because we hoped to catch the train, we
took a taxi.)
• Being late for the lesson, he had to wait for the bell to ring. (=As he was late for the
lesson, he had to wait for the bell to ring.)
• Being ill, he can’t go out yet. Так как он болен, он пока не может выходить
(будучи больным, он пока не может выходить).
• Being happy with my results, I decided to go out and celebrate. (=As I was happy
with my results, I decided to go out and celebrate.)
• Being left alone, we kept silent for some time.
• Having plenty of time, we did not hurry. Так как у нас было много времени, мы
не спешили.
• Not having been asked, I didn’t really want to interfere. Так как меня не
спрашивали, я, по правде говоря, не хотел вмешиваться.
• Having lost his address, I couldn’t write to him. Так как я потерял его адрес, я не
мог ему написать./Потеряв его адрес, я не мог ему написать.
• Having been sent to the wrong address, the letter didn’t reach him. Так как письмо
было отправлено по неверному адресу, оно не дошло до него.
• Having been weakened by storms, the bridge was no longer safe. Расшатанный
бурями, мост стал ненадежен.
In negative forms of sentences, not usually comes before the -ing form or past
participle. However, not can follow the -ing form or the past participle, depending
on meaning:
• Not wanting to wake her, Steve left the house silently. (=As Steve didn’t want to
wake her, he left the house silently.)
• Preferring not to go out that night, I made an excuse. (=As I preferred not to go
out that night, I made an excuse.)
Where a passive form is expected, this is often shortened to a past participle.
• Having been abandoned by his colleagues, the Minister was forced to resign. →
Abandoned by his colleagues, the Minister was forced to resign.
In general, using a Participial phrase instead of a clause beginning with a
conjunction (when, because, as, etc.) or an attributive clause makes what we say or
write more formal. Participial phrases like this are used particularly in formal or
literary writing.
c) of manner or attendant circumstances.
Participle I Indefinite is mostly used in this meaning and it denotes some action or
event parallel to the action or state expressed by the predicate.
• He sat in the armchair reading a book.
• She was silent, looking at her hands.
• I wrote to him a friendly letter, thanking him for his help.
• Little bare-legged children ran about him, playing on the grass.
We often use an -ing phrase in written narrative after direct speech, when we want to
say what someone was doing while they were talking:
• ‘Wait a minute,’ said Frank, running through the door.
d) of comparison.
Participle I is always introduced by the conjunctions as if or as though.
• He looked at her as if wanting to ask her something.
• He looked from side to side as though trying to escape.
• “What's wrong with his arm?” - he asked as if not knowing the reason.
• He said this as if thinking aloud. Он сказал это, как будто думал вслух.
e) Occasionally Participle I occurs as an adverbial modifier of concession.
Participle I is introduced by the conjunction though, although.
• Somebody was waiting: a man who, though moving irregularly was making quite
a speed in my direction.
• The meal continued and he soon partook in it, although remaining aloof from the
conversation. (aloof - равнодушный, индифферентный)
f) Occasionally Participle I occurs as an adverbial modifier of condition.
• She ought to be there and her absence might be resented, but being there she
wouldn’t know what to say. Ей следует быть там, и ее отсутствие, возможно, не
понравится, но, если бы она была там, она не знала бы, что сказать.
• Well, we’ll be in Scotland before we know where we are, going at this speed. А
мы будем в Шотландии, прежде чем поймем, где мы, если будем двигаться с
такой скоростью.

III. Participle I as a predicative.

In this function only Participle I Indefinite Active is used, its adjectival character
being predominant (преобладающий). Although keeping the form of the participle, it
is treated as an adjective or an adjectivized participle.
• The film was quite boring. (‘boring’ is the subjective predicative)
• The effect of his words was shocking. Впечатление, произведенное его словами,
было шокирующим.
• The story is amusing. (‘amusing’ is the subjective predicative) (Cf. I find the story
amusing. ‘amusing’ is the objective predicative.)
• Your answer is surprising. (Cf. I consider your answer surprising. ‘surprising’ is the
objective predicative.)
• The children are amusing = they seem amusing to me. (But: They are amusing me.
‘amusing’ - Participle I is part of the Present Continuous Tense.)
• The music is deafening = it seems deafening to me; I find it deafening. (But: The
music is deafening me. ‘deafening’ - Participle I is part of the Present Continuous
Tense.)

IV. Participle I as part of a complex object.

• We saw the train approaching the station.
• We heard John and Peter singing.
• I found him sitting at the breakfast table.
• In the dark the old man could feel the morning coming.

IV. Participle I as part of a complex subject/part of a compound verbal predicate.

• She was heard talking over the telephone.
• Paul was found working in the garden.
• I was kept waiting an hour or so.
• The boy was caught teasing the cat.

V. Participial phrase as parenthesis.

• Generally speaking, I don’t think so. Вообще говоря, я так не думаю.
• Strictly speaking, the excuse was not necessary. (the excuse - извинение,
отговорка, оправдание)
• Judging from/by what you say, he ought to succeed.
• I’m not to this day absolutely sure of where, geographically speaking, Jones’
home lay.
• judging by appearances - судя по внешности
• roughly speaking - приблизительно, примерно, грубо говоря, на глаз,
ориентировочно
• strictly speaking - строго говоря
• putting it mildly - мягко выражаясь
• frankly speaking - откровенно говоря
• taking everything into consideration - принимая все во внимание