Page 159 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

P a r t i c i p l e c l a u s e s w i t h a d v e r b i a l m e a n i n g

We can use an -ing form of a verb or the past participle in a clause which has an adverbial
meaning. A clause like this often gives information about TIME or REASONS and RESULTS:
• Opening her eyes, the baby began to cry. (= When she opened her eyes...)
• Faced with a bill for £10, 000, John has taken an extra job. (= Because he is faced...)
They are often similar to non-defining relative clauses (see Unit 71) with which, who, or that:
• Feeling tired, Louise went to bed early, (or Louise, who was feeling tired, went...)
• Formed 25 years ago next month, the club is holding a party for past and present members.
(or The club, which was formed 25 years ago next month, is holding...)
The following sentences illustrate other forms of verbs in clauses like this:
• Being imported, the radios were more expensive.
• Having been hunted close to extinction, the rhino is once again common in this area.
In negative forms of sentences like this, 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. (= He didn't want to...)
• Preferring not to go out that night, I made an excuse. (= I preferred not to...)

©The implied subject of a clause like this is usually the same as the subject of the main clause:
• • Arriving at the party, we saw Ruth standing alone. (= When we arrived...we saw...)
However, sometimes the implied subject is not referred to in the main clause:
• Having wanted to drive a train all his life, this was an opportunity not to be missed.
In more formal English, the -ing or past participle clause sometimes has its own subject:
• The score being level after 90 minutes, a replay will take place.
In general, using an -ing, past participle, or being + past participle clause instead of a clause
beginning with a conjunction (when, because, etc.) or a non-defining relative clause makes what
we say or write more formal. Clauses like this are used particularly in formal or literary writing.

Some clauses like this are used to give information about TIME:
• Glancing over his shoulder, he could see the dog chasing him. (= As he glanced ...)
• Having completed the book, he had a holiday. (= After he had completed the book...)
We use an -ing clause to talk about something that takes place at the same time or very close in
time to the action in the main clause:
• Putting on a serious face, she began to tell the story.
We often use an -ing clause in written narrative after quoted speech, when we want to say what
someone was doing while they were talking:
• 'Wait a minute,' said Frank, running through the door.

If the action described is relatively long compared with the one described in the main clause, we
ouse a clause beginning having + past participle:
• • Having driven five hours to the meeting, Don learnt that it had been postponed.
Sometimes we can use either an -ing clause or a having + past participle clause with similar
meanings, although using a having + past participle clause emphasises that something is
completed before the action in the main clause begins. Compare:
• Taking off / Having taken off his shoes, Ray walked into the house.

Some clauses like this are used to talk about REASONS and RESULTS. For example:
• Knowing exactly what I wanted, I didn't spend much time shopping.
• Being slim, he could squeeze through the opening in the fence.
• Having been invited to the party, we could hardly refuse to go.
Participle clauses (ing, -ed and being -ed) => ^^JJ

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