7. Constructions with participles (Cont’d)

 

Exercise 7.1. Analyze and translate constructions with participles; read the dialog.

 

Nora: It’s Peter's birthday the day after tomorrow. I've had a new suit made for him to wear at his party.

Harry: Are we going to have a lot of his friends here?

Nora: Oh, yes, didn't I tell you?

Harry: Are you going to cook all the cakes yourself?

Nora: Some of them. And the rest I shall have done by a shop. That reminds me, I must get the carpets beaten before the party.

Robert: And Dad, will you have the stereo mended by Friday?

Harry: Well, why don't you have it mended yourself, Robert? Didn't you have it mended last time it broke?

Nora: What do you want the stereo for on Friday?

Robert: We’ll have to use it for the dancing.

Harry: What, dancing half the night? Then I see what I’ll have to do!

Nora: What's that, Harry?

Harry: (jokingly) I must have a bed made up for me at the club, and spend the night there.

(From Meet the Parkers)

 

 

Absolute Constructions

 

1. Absolute participial constructions:

nominative

The door of the vacant room being open, we looked in.

prepositional (after with)

She sat silent, with her eyes fixed on the ground.

 

2. Absolute non-participial constructions (being is missing):

nominative

There he stood, his heart full of strange emotions.

prepositional (after with)

I found him ready, with his stick in his hand.

Cf. :

Breakfast being over, he couldn’t think of anything to do. (AM of cause)

Breakfast over, he went to his office. (AM of time / att.circumst.)

 

NB! Personal pronouns are almost never used as subjects

In absolute constructions.

 

 

Exercise 7.2. Point out nominative absolute participial constructions in the following sentences and define their functions.

 

1. 1.    The Strand, it being the hour when the theaters began to empty themselves, was a roaring torrent of humanity and vehicles...

2. 2.    She looked at me, her eyes widening.

3. 3.    Liza and Tom and the Blakestones had got a seat together, Liza being between the two men.

4. 4.    The complication which the doctor had feared having ensued, recovery was impossible.

5. 5.    "You're worse than Claire," said Ray, her eyes ceasing to glitter.

6. 6.    He glared at Tom with outrage, his eyes glittering with excitement.

7. 7.    She said it in a low voice, a spasm of pain crossing her face.

8. 8.    And in the evening after the high tea which was their last meal, they sat in the stiff parlor, the ladies working and Dr.Macphail smoking his pipe, the missionary told them of his work in the island.

9. 9.    Then his face lightening, he ran to the desk.

10. 10. Dinner began in silence; the women facing one another and the man.

11. 11. Supper finished, he led them into the parlor...

12. 12. In the house, the lamp lighted, Saxon looked at the coin.

 

Exercise 7.3. Recast the following sentences so as to use the nominative absolute participial construction.

 

1. 1.    When a fortnight of his notice to Mrs.Grant had expired Mike really began to worry.

2. 2.    The rain showed no sign of stopping, and at length with umbrellas and waterproofs they set out.

3. 3.    When the door bell rang, Lesley rose and left the room.

4. 4.    Now that the examination was so close at hand, a queer calmness had settled upon him.

5. 5.    His brain was inactive, almost dull. He felt that he knew nothing.

6. 6.    Now that the moment had come he found it difficult to speak.

7. 7.    After Oscar had gone, Liza stood for a moment in the hall.

8. 8.    When Julia and Simmy had decided to try their luck in London, Jimmie Field had written to his aunt asking her to do what she could for them.

9. 9.    When the massage was finished Evie brought Julia a cup of tea.

10. 10. After she had gone he got to thinking the matter over.

 

Exercise 7.4. Recast the following sentences so as to use constructions with the participle wherever possible.

 

1. 1.    After I had left them I walked up and down the road outside.

2. 2.    When I got to his house I stood outside for I don't know how long... .

3. 3.    Mr. Cook chuckled as he recalled the scene they had played.

4. 4.    Well, Miss Beets didn't want it, so she gave it to me along with other odds and ends, that had belonged to the mistress.

5. 5.    Donald turned his whole attention to the menu. When he had ordered he leaned back in his chair... .

6. 6.    He pulled a letter from his pocket - the letter he had received this morning.

7. 7.    Of course, as she has lived here practically all her life, she knows everything about this place.

8. 8.    The waiter brought us two cups of a doubtful fluid which was called coffee.

9. 9.    Miss Bentley walked home, and her dog trotted at her heels.

10. 10. His guests left early and Mr. Benson lay down in a long rotten chair.

11. 11. Charles spoke with a twinkle in his eyes as though he saw what was at the back of the doctor's simple question...

12. 12. But when she went to bed she could not sleep.

13. 13. The great white pigeons that roosted in their branches were asleep, and the only sound that broke the silence was when one of them for some reason rustled its wings.

14. 14. When dinner was finished, Dolly went up to Sam and put her hand on his shoulder.

15. 15. She stayed still, watching with a singular calm the men who advanced towards her.

 

Exercise 7.5. Translate into English, using participial constructions (to be submitted in writing).

 

1. 1.    Была тихая летняя ночь. Мы сидели в саду и наблюдали, как луна медленно поднимается из-за деревьев.

2. 2.    Мы услышали, что кто-то поет вдали.

3. 3.    В детстве я часто слышал, как моя мать пела эту песню.

4. 4.    Мы увидели, что по дорожке сада идет сын нашего соседа.

5. 5.    Мы не видели его уже много лет, но часто слышали, как его имя упоминалось в доме его родителей. Мы не раз слышали, как его мать говорила о нем и его работе.

 

1. 1.    Полчаса спустя Лаврецкий стоял уже перед калиткой сада. Он нашел ее запертою и принужден был перепрыгнуть через забор. (Тургенев)

2. 2.    Слышно было, как он быстро встал... (Л. Толстой)

3. 3.    Подходя к церкви, увидел он, что народ уже расходился. (Пушкин)

4. 4.    Я видел, как вы садились на пароход. (А. Толстой)

5. 5.    Видно было, как по переулку подбегали люди. (А. Толстой)

 

1. 1.    Я переделала свое зимнее пальто.

2. 2.    Когда вы, наконец, настроите свой рояль? Он совсем расстроен.

3. 3.    Я не починил вчера часы, так как мастерские были закрыты.

4. 4.    Когда вы оклеили комнату?

5. 5.    Вам уже побелили потолок?

6. 6.    Где вы снимались?

7. 7.    Вам следует переплести свои книги

8. 8.    Где вы делали себе это платье?

9. 9.    Я выкрасила свое платье, и теперь оно совсем как новое (выглядит совсем новым).

10. 10. Где вы починили велосипед?

 

1. 1.    Так как было очень тепло, дети спали на открытом воздухе.

2. 2.    Когда все приготовления были закончены, они отправились в поход.

3. 3.    Корабль медленно плыл вдоль берегов Белого моря; сотни птиц кружились над ним.

4. 4.    Было очень темно, так как на небе не было ни одной звездочки.

5. 5.    Когда солнце село, туристы развели костер.

6. 6.    Когда торжественное заседание окончилось, начался концерт.

 

1. 1.    Вулич молча вышел в спальню майора, мы за ним последовали. (Лермонтов)

2. 2.    Меня лечил полковый цырюльник, ибо в крепости другого лекаря не было. (Пушкин)

3. 3.    Тут Иван Кузмич оборотился к нам, и все его внимание устремилось на неприятеля. (Пушкин)

4. 4.    Час спустя Павел Петрович уже лежал в постели с искусно забинтованной ногой. (Тургенев)

5. 5.    Я лежал на диване, уставив глаза в потолок, когда Вернер вошел в мою комнату. (Лермонтов)

6. 6.    Оглянешься на Карла Ивановича, а он сидит себе с книгой в руке и как будто ничего не замечает. (Л. Толстой)

 

Exercise 7.6. Analyze and translate constructions with participles; learn the dialog.

 

Nora: Good afternoon, Mrs. Wood. You are looking pleased. Have you found out who took your missing spoons?

Mrs. Wood: Yes, it's really very funny, I must tell you. Of course, I've been awfully nervous since yesterday, my husband being away and there being nobody else in the house. And then coming back from shopping this afternoon I found the back gate open and suspicious noises coming from the house!

Nora: Goodness!

Mrs. Wood: Thinking that if I went for help the fellow would get away, I decided to catch him myself.

Nora: How very brave of you!

Mrs. Wood: And then, looking in through the kitchen window what should I see but -

Nora: A man?

Mrs. Wood: No - a monkey!

Nora: A monkey?

Mrs. Wood: Yes, a monkey, sitting on my kitchen table, and taking all my knives and forks out of the table drawer.

Nora: Wherever had it come from?

Mrs. Wood: I just couldn't think at first. And then I suddenly remembered that the house at the end of the road has just been taken over by an old sailor who has all sorts of strange pets.

Nora: I know - Mr. Benbow. So the monkey sitting on the table was his. What extraordinary creature - taking your spoons one day and coming back for your knives and forks the next! Did you manage to catch him?

Mrs. Wood: I couldn't catch him myself, but I fetched Mr. Benbow and he soon did it.

Nora: And did you discover what the monkey had done with your spoons?

Mrs. Wood: Yes, we found them hidden at the end of our own garden!

Nora: How very funny! With the police hunting everywhere for a criminal too. Still, 'All's well that ends well!'

(From Meet the Parkers)