Participle Clauses

Participle clauses enable us to say information in a more economical way.

They are formed using present participles (going, reading, seeing, walking, etc.),
past participles (gone, read, seen, walked, etc.) or perfect participles (having
gone, having read, having seen, having walked, etc.).

We can use participle clauses when the participle and the verb in the main clause
have the same subject. For example,

Waiting for Ellie, I made some tea. (While I was waiting for Ellie, I made some tea.)

Participle clauses do not have a specific tense. The tense is indicated by the verb in
the main clause.

Participle clauses are mainly used in written texts, particularly in a literary, academic
or journalistic style.

Usage:

The present participle (base form + -ing) is used:

● to replace a time clause (when, while, after, etc. + subject + verb).

○ Looking through the things in my drawer, I came across some old

photographs. (=While I was looking…)

● to replace a clause of reason (because, as, since + subject + verb).

○ Feeling extremely tired, I decided to rest. (=Because I felt…)

● to replace a relative clause in the ACTIVE VOICE.

○ The girl talking to Jim is my sister. (=...who is talking…)

The past participle is used:

● instead of a subject + verb in the PASSIVE VOICE.

○ Shocked by the tragedy, they didn’t know what to say. (=They were
shocked by the tragedy and they didn’t know…)

● to replace a relative clause in the PASSIVE VOICE.

○ Clothes made in France and Italy are very elegant. (=Clothes which
are made…)

● to replace the if- clause in a conditional sentence containing a PASSIVE

VOICE.

○ Stored in the fridge, milk will be safe to consume for up to three days.
(=If it is stored in the fridge…)

The perfect participle is used for an action that happened before another one.

ACTIVE VOICE: having + past participle

Having finished studying, Ted went out. (Ted finished studying and then went out.)

Having got dressed, she went downstairs. (She got dressed and then went
downstairs.)

PASSIVE VOICE: having been + past participle

Having been damaged in the accident, the car wouldn’t start. (The car had been
damaged in the accident and wouldn’t start.)

Having been made redundant, she started looking for a new job. (She had been
made redundant and then she started looking for a job.)
Watch out!

If a participle is at the beginning of a sentence, the participle clause and the main
clause must both refer to the same subject.

Standing in the hot, crowded room, I began to feel dizzy. (=I was standing)
Pushing the button, the lift moved up to the third floor. (This would mean that
the lift pushed the button.)

To form the negative of participles, we add NOT before the participles:

Not wanting to miss the bus, they ran to the bus stop.

Participle clauses after conjunctions and prepositions

Present Participle clauses can be used with different conjunctions and prepositions:
before, after, while, since, on, although, etc.

○ Before cooking, you should wash your hands. (=Before you cook…)
○ After finishing her degree, she went to London. (=After she
finished…)
○ On reaching the department store, she went straight to customer
service. (=When she reached…)
○ Although knowing there will be difficulties, I think we should go ahead
with the plan. (=Although I know…)

Past Participle clauses can be used with: when, until, once, if, unless…

● If watered on a daily basis, the plants will grow beautifully. (=If they are
watered…)
● Once defrosted, it cannot be frozen again. (=Once it has been
defrosted…)