15 Participle, to-infinitive and reduced clauses

Grammar
En Participle clauses: general
SIAM: POINT,
Walking into each village, I was met by a pack of unfriendly dogs.
Found mainly in the south of the country, scorpions in Italy can gale a nasty bite but are rarely dangerous.
Having spent a couple of hours exploring Amalfi, I'm now ready for an excellent Italian dinner
Participle clauses are more common in writing, and are often used to express ideas in an economical way.

A participle usually refers to the subject of the main clause

Snarling aggressively, the dogs were pretty terrifying at first. (= the dogs were snarling and the dogs were
pretty terrifying)
We avoid using a participle clause when the subjects are different: Snarling aggressively, I kept away from
the dogs. In this example, the writer is trying to say that the dogs were snarling and he kept away from them.
However, it sounds as if he was snarling! The more accurate alternative is: The dogs were snarling aggressively, so
I kept away from them.
In formal English, a participle clause can sometimes have its own subject, which is often a pronoun or a noun
phrase including a pronoun:
Scorpions in North Africa, some measuring up to 20 centimetres, can kill adults. (Scorpions in North Africa =
subject of the main clause some = subject of the participle)
When we use not in a participle dause it usually comes before the participle
Not wanting to carry my backpack any further, I went to the first hotel! came across.

EU Present participle (-Mg) clauses

We can use a present participle clause to talk about something that takes place at the same time as, or just
before, an action in the main clause
Opening up my sleeping bag I discovered a scorpion.
A present participle clause can be used to give background information:
Living mainly in warm climates, scorpions have existed for over 400 million years.
and after quoted speech, to say what someone was doing while they were talking
'Wait for me here,' said Frank, running out of the house.
Present participle dauses can also be used to talk about a reason or result:
Arriving in Amalfi early in the afternoon,! had time to look around the town. (= because I arrived in Amalfi early
in the afternoon)

Past participle (-ed) clauses

We can use a past participle clause to talk about reasons and conditions:
Made from the softest leather imaginable, they are as comfortable as a pair of slippers. (reason = because they are
made from the softest leather imaginable)
Sold in Britain, the boots would have cost a lot more. (condition = if they were sold in Britain)
Past participles combine with forms of be and have to create passives and perfect forms:
Having fallen over a number of times,! was feeling thoroughly miserable. (= I was feeling thoroughly miserable
because I had fallen over a number of times)

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We can use either having + -ed or a present participle with a similar meaning to describe events that follow one
after another. However, having + -ed emphasises that the action in the participle clause is complete before the
action in the main clause begins:
Having climbed to the top of the hill, I could see all the way to the Mediterranean. or Climbing to the top of the
hill, ...
Being made so welcome at the hotel, I was reluctant to leave. (= because I was made so welcome)
Having been woken up by a scratching sound, I found a large rat trying to get into my backpack. (= after I had
been woken up)

2.4 Participle clauses after conjunctions and prepositions

We can use a present participle clause after a number of conjunctions and prepositions, including after, before,
by, in, on, since, when, while, with, without, unless, until:
Before leaving Naples, I bought yet more walking socks, or less formally Before I left Naples, I bought yet more
walking socks.
We can also use with (or informally what with )to introduce a reason for something in the main clause.
Notice that a subject has to come between with and -ing:
With Naples being such a busy city, I was surprised to find a hotel room so easily.
What with sleeping badly, and some very steep hills to walk over, it was quite a relief to get to Amalfi this
afternoon. (= because I had slept badly)
In formal contexts we can use a past participle after (al)though, as, if, once, when, while, unless and until:
Walking through Italy was a fantastic experience, but Y asked, I'm not sure I'd do it again, or... but if I was asked...

Egi To-infinitive clauses

We can use a clause beginning with a to-infinitive to talk about purpose, result or condition:
I walked up into the hills to avoid the long trek around the coast. (= purpose)
I got to the hotel early, only to find that I couldn't check in until later. (= result)
To hear him grumbling last week, you'd think he was about to get on the next flight home (= if you had heard
him grumbling)

2.6 Reduced clauses

We can sometimes use a 'reduced clause beginning with a conjunction or adjective, but with no verb. Reduced
clauses are usually fairly formal:
While in Naples, I did what all visitors do. or While I was in Naples, ...
Exhausted by my walk, I went straight to bed. or Because I was exhausted...

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 15 Participle, to-infinitive and reduced clauses

Grammar exercises
MO Complete the participle dause at the start of each sentence using the information in brackets.
1 Simunmuig strongly, she was able to cross the river in just a few minutes. (She swam strongly.)
2 in oil, Cohn got out from under the car. (He was covered in oiL)
3 in Latin, the two letters were sent in 1406 to the French king. (They were written in Latin.)
4 them twice this year already, Bayern Munich are favourites to win again against Real
Madrid. (They have beaten them twice this year already.)
5 how to use the software, I found it easy to design my own website. (I was shown how to
use the software.)
6 eaten anything for hours, I was starting to feel a bit faint. (I hadn't eaten anything for hours.)
7 her glasses, she began to read her speech. (She put on her glasses.)
8 Portuguese, I found travelling in Brazil difficult. (I can't speak Portuguese.)

lag Read this extract from a blog about a visit to London. Rewrite the underlined pans using a participle
clause, to-infinitive or reduced clause.

(I) Mile I was in London I just had to go to the British Museum.There's so much to see
and I only had time to spend a few hours there. First, I went to the collection of clocks
and watches. (2) When I saw the nnrket watches. I was reminded of the old watch my
grandfather used to wear. I don't think I ever saw him without it.Then I went to the Money
Gallery.They've got an incredible collection of coins (3) and some of th over
2,000 years old. Next stop was the Chinese collection (4) Because I'd lived in Hone Kona
for so many years, I was very interested in this. Some of the jade objects were stunning.
(5) After I looked at the Chinese collection, I had hoped to see the Mexican collection.
Unfortunately, (6) when I got there I found that it was closed. (7) Because I'd spent the
whole morning walking around the museum, I decided that I wanted to do something
very different in the afternoon. So I went to the London Eye (8) in order that I could get
a bird's-eye view of the city. (9) When they are looked at from the top of the Eye, some
of the biggest buildings appear quite small — even St Paul's Cathedral, across the river. After
that (10) because I was tired from all the walking I went back to my hotel room and slept
for a couple of hours (11) before I went out to have dinner

1 White IX, London ... 7

2 8
3 9
4 10
5 11
6

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 Participle, to-infinitive and reduced clauses 15
Ea In these sentences, is the subject of the participle and the main clause the same (5) or different (D)?
If it is different, think about how you could rewrite the sentence correctly.

Painted bright yellow, I could see the signs clearly from a distance. D

2 Hearing a noise from one of the bedrooms, I quietly climbed upstairs.

3 Laughing at her new hat, iing looked really angry with me.

4 Kept in the fridge, the cheese should stay fresh for weeks.

5 Holding her umbrella tightly, she went out into the storm.

6 Talking to each other in the library, I asked them to keep quiet.

7 Caught in traps put on the riverbed at night, many fishermen depend on crayfish for their livelihood.
Worried that Zahira hadn't arrived, I decided to phone her home.

1 Scalise the signs were painted, bright yellow I could see them clearlg from a. distance.

3.4 Complete each sentence using one of the words in the box and an appropriate form of the verb in
brackets. Use either an -ing, an -ed or being + -ed verb form.

although before if once since while with without unless until

1 Unless otherwise stated ,all software contained on the CD is for demonstration

purposes only. (state)

2 my book on the European Union, I interviewed more than a hundred members of the
European Parliament. (research)

3 no longer in the day-to-day running of the business, Mr Chen retains

a keen interest in its development. (involve)

4 Defence Minister, he was head of the army for five years. (make)

5 her parents, she took their car and drove into town. When they found out, they were
furious. (ask)

6 Not school had anyone told me to 'sit down and be quiet (leave)

7 The virus doesn't have serious effects, but it remains in the body for life. (catch)

8 the wind hurricane force, ships have been advised to head for
land. (reach)

9 I slept deeply by a fire engine going past the house. (wake)

10 guilty, she could face ten years in prison. (find)

III