Participle after Noun |
We can use participle clauses after a noun in the same way as relative clauses. This gives more information about the noun. We sometimes call this a 'reduced relative clause'. |
Example: |
Who was the girl singing Abba's songs? (Who was the girl who was singing Abba's songs?) |
The man wearing a blue tuxedo is a friend of mine. (The man who is wearing a blue tuxedo is a friend of mine.) |
People arriving late will not be allowed to enter. (People who is arriving late will not be allowed to enter.) |
Those books lying on the table were mine. (Those books which are lying on the table were mine.) |
Adverbial clauses |
An adverbial clause (or an adverb clause) is a group of words which plays the role of an adverb. (Like all clauses, an adverbial clause will contain a subject and a verb.) |
Example: |
Keep singing until the melody fades. |
In a world where there is so much to be done, I felt strongly impressed that there must be something for me to do. |
Once they saw the car coming, the birds flew away from the street. |
Supposing your son took the car without permission, what would your punishment be? |
Subjects; misrelated participle |
While picking apples from the tree, a snake bit the farmer. (sounds like the snake was picking apples) While picking apples from the tree, a farmer was bitten by a snake. (The farmer was piciking apples.) |
While cooking dinner, the telephone rang. (sounds like the telephone was cooking dinner) While cooking dinner, Satome heard the telephone ring. (Satome was cooking dinner) |
Participle clauses with their own subject |
A participle clause can have its own subject |
Example: |
Generally speaking, women are better than men in many ways. |
All things considered, we decided to establish the business anyway. |
We can use verb + participle and verb + object + participle |
Example |
They sat talking for hours. |
The teacher caught a few students cheating in the exam. |