Participles

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Participles in the English Language are used as verbs and adjectives. They are also known as verbal adjectives.

Examples of Participles:

I saw a student jumping.
A rolling stone gathers no moss.
Driven by passion, he entered the teaching profession.
Having finished my work, I left my office.

There are three kinds of Participles in English, namely

Present Participle: eating, playing, drinking, cleaning etc.,
Past Participle: eaten, played, drunk/drunken, cleaned etc.,
Perfect Participle: having eaten, having played, having drunk, having cleaned etc.,

Present Participle:

The Present Participles are the ‘ing’ forms of the verbs and show an action going on and incomplete. As a Participle, it is used as an Adjective.

Examples:

I found my friend sleeping soundly.
The crying girl had a beautiful face.
We saw a woman carrying vegetables.

Past Participle:

The Past Participle is the form of a verb ending in ‘-ed’, ‘-d’, ‘-t’ or ‘-n’ and shows an action as completed. As a Participle, it is used as an Adjective.

Examples:

Opened windows helped her escape easily.
Known by the fact, he didn’t attend the interview.
The students should not carry heavily laden bags.
Time misspent is time lost.
He is the most learned man in our community.

Perfect Participle:

The Perfect Participle is formed with ‘having’ +Verb and represents an action as having been completed sometime in the past.

Examples:

Having read this novel, I started reading another novel.
Having finished her work, she went to meet her friend.
Having not applied for the job, she did not attend the interview.

Uses of the Participle:

As a Main Verb in the Continuous and Perfect Tenses:

Examples:

She is reading a novel.
We are watching TV.
They were playing chess.
I shall be attending the classes tomorrow.
He has finished his homework.
You had forgotten to send an email.

As an Adjective in different positions and functions:

As an Adjective, before a Noun it qualifies:

Examples:

I appreciated her pleasing personality.
She reads only some interesting books.
Barking dogs seldom bite.
He picked up a wounded bird.
Don’t cry over spilled milk.

As a Predicative Adjective: (Modifying the Subject)

Examples:

The story is quite exciting.
The lecture is boring.
The girl came running.
The news is shocking.
She seemed disappointed by the results.
The children felt excited about the tour.
They look worried.

As an Objective Complement: (Modifying the Object)

Examples:

I found him escaping.
The teacher heard the boys murmuring.
He got his leg fractured.
They left her broken

As a Noun with the Definite Article:

Examples:

The dead leave their blessing upon the living.
The infected and dying need urgent medical care.

As an ‘Adverb’ used to describe verbs:

Examples:

The boy ran screaming out of the room.
The toys lay scattered on the floor.

Absolutely with a noun or pronoun:

Examples:

The weather, being cool, they played outside.
My friends, having arrived, we started our programme.
God willing, we shall soon be rich enough.
Tagore, being a renowned writer, we always remember him.
The teacher, being absent, the students went for games.
Their funds, having exhausted, they minimized their expenditure.

Note: 1

Here in the above sentences, the participle is used after a noun or pronoun and formed an independent phrase which is called an Absolute Phrase. The nouns or pronouns used in absolute phrases are called Nominative Absolutes.

Note: 2

We can easily change an Absolute Phrase into a Subordinate Clause:

Examples:

God willing, we shall soon be rich enough.
If God is willing, we shall soon be rich enough.

My friends, having arrived, we started our programme.
When my friends had arrived, we started our programme.

Tagore, being a renowned writer, we always remember him.
We always remember Tagore because he was a renowned writer.

As a Participle Phrase:

A Phrase with a Participle is called a Participle Phrase.

Examples:

Expecting his arrival, we waited at the railway station.
Speaking of our principal, he is very much dedicated.
Who is the man sitting in the office?
Rejected by the interviewer, the candidate felt disappointed.

Use of ‘Being’ and ‘Having’ in the Participle Phrases:

We use the participle phrases to express the reasons. Participle Phrase carries the reason part. We don’t require to use the conjunctions like because, as, since or so. A comma is placed after the Participle Phrase.

Use of ‘Being’ in a Participle Phrase:

Examples:

Being a teacher, you have to motivate the students.

(As you are a teacher, you have to motivate the students.)

Being late, I was not allowed to the class.

(Because I was late, I was not allowed to the class.)

The teacher being absent, the class was monitored by the leader.

(Since the teacher was absent, the class was monitored by the leader.)

Not being an expert, I have not been considered for the job.

(As I am not an expert, I have not been considered for the job.)

Use of ‘Having’ in a Participle Phrase:

Having a test to write, she spent the weekend studying.

(She spent the weekend studying because she has a test to write)

After having some rest, she started preparation.

(As she has some rest, she started preparation.)

Having an idea to share, she got on to the stage.

(Since she has an idea to share, she got on to the stage.)

Having finished her work, she went home.

(As she had finished her work, she went home.)

Having attended the interview, she is expecting to get the job.

(She is expecting the job because she has attended the interview.)

Having visited my friend, I decided to help him.
Having said that, I would provide all the bonuses.
Having been a teacher for several years, I know how to handle the students.
Having been to Delhi several times, I thought to visit Chennai instead.

Correct use of the Participle:

Same Subject:

When two sentences refer to the same subject, we often can make one sentence shorter (Participle Phrase) with the use of a ‘participle’ using the same subject.

Examples:

Shankar went to the office. He happened to meet his friend.
Going to the office, Shankar happened to meet his friend.

Swetha was tired of preparation. Swetha spent the day leisurely.
Being tired of preparation, Swetha spent the day leisurely.

I entered the classroom. I found the student was sitting on a bench.
Entering the classroom, I found the student was sitting on a bench.

Mohan is hungry. He stole the burger.
Being hungry, Mohan stole the burger.

Different Subjects:

When both the sentences have the same subject, a separate subject is not required in the Participle Phrase.

When different subjects are used in two different sentences, we have to use a suitable subject in the Participle Phrase. Otherwise, it may not be clear who performs the action.

Examples:

It was a rainy day. We did not go out shopping.
Being a rainy day, we did not go out shopping. (incorrect)
It being a rainy day, we did not go out shopping. (correct)

The snake bit the boy. The farmer decided to kill the snake.
Having bitten the boy, the farmer decided to kill the snake. (incorrect)
The snake having bitten the boy, the farmer decided to kill it. (correct)

The car is very expensive for me. I can’t afford to buy a car.
Being very expensive for me, I can’t afford to buy the car. (incorrect)
The car, being very expensive for me, I can’t afford to buy. (correct)

Note:

Some Participles like regarding, concerning, considering, taking, speaking, touching, owing to can be used without the subject in the Participle Phrase.

Examples: