Неличные формы глагола (Practical tasks)

Exercise 18. Complete the following sentences so as to use complex objects with participle I:

1.He noticed a man … . 2. I discovered a good-looking young man

…. 3. I could even hear a bird … . 4. She watched the car … . 5. She heard the footsteps … . 6. I saw the door … . 7. She heard the children

…. 8. He felt her … . 9. Did you overhear them …? 10. We imagine

them … . 11. They watched the crowd … . 12. He didn’t see her … . 13. I didn’t notice you … . 14. He liked to watch his father … . 15. He found himself … . 16. I’ve never heard you … . 17. I didn’t see anybody … . 18. The girl saw someone … . 19. The blow sent the boy … . 20.

The wind sent the leaves … .

Exercise 19. Point out the complex subject with the participle I. Translate the sentences into Russian:

1. They were heard talking together. 2. The horse was seen descending the hill. 3. The boots of Michael could be heard racing

upstairs. 4. At times he was seen driving with her by people who knew him in a social and commercial way. 5. You’re found hanging around

the grounds of a big house after dark. 6. Jennie was seen wearing the gold watch. 7. Many students with blood streaming down their faces were seen running down the side streets to avoid arrest. 8. The visitor was heard walking restlessly backwards and forwards. He was also heard talking to himself. 9. The old judge was found sitting grin and straight in his chair, waiting. 10. Ted was seen speaking to a young girl.

Exercise 20. Transform the following sentences into sentences with complex subjects with participle I:

a)Example: They overheard two people talking about her. →Two people were overheard talking about her.

1. They saw her sitting poring over her book. 2. We heard the baby crying in her pram. 3. We saw him exchanging glances with that man. 4. They could see a white house gleaming through the reddening autumn leaves. 5. From the distance they could see the host waiting for them on the doorsteps.

b)Example: He stole curious glances at Mary. (to see) → He was seen stealing curious glances at Mary.

1. Paul consulted his silver watch. (to see) 2. He asked if I was in. (to hear) 3. He telephoned the doctor, stressing the gravity and urgency

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of the case. (to hear) 4. He paced up and down in his room long after the rest of the family had gone to bed. (to hear) 5. She went in that direction about a quarter of an hour ago. (to see)

The Nominative Absolute Participial Construction

This construction consists of two interdependent elements, nominal and verbal, which are in a predicative relation. The nominal element is a noun in the common case or a pronoun in the nominative case. The verbal element is participle I in any of its forms. The nominal and the verbal elements make a syntactical complex functioning as a detached adverbial modifier. Unlike the objective participial construction it does not depend on a verb;

e.g. The student knowing English well, the examination did not last long.

The difference between a participial phrase and a nominative absolute participial construction may be illustrated as follows:

e.g. Having lost the key he could not enter the house.

My sister having lost the key, we could not enter the house.

In a participial phrase the subject of the sentence (he) is related both to the predicate verb (could not enter) and to the participle (having lost). In the second sentence (with a nominative absolute participial construction) the subject of the sentence (we) is related only to the predicate verb (could not enter), and the nominal element (my sister) is related to the participle (having lost).

The nominative absolute participial construction functions syntactically as an adverbial modifier of:

1) time:

e.g. The sun having risen ( = After the sun had risen), they continued their way.

2) reason:

e.g. The professor being ill ( = As the professor was ill), the lecture was put off.

Sentences with a nominative absolute participial construction as an

adverbial modifier of time or reason are translated by complex sentences with the corresponding subordinate clauses: Так как профессор был болен, лекция была отложена. После того как солнце взошло, они

продолжили свой путь.

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3) attendant circumstances:

e.g. We were both standing leaning against the mantelpiece, she

admiring her fan of blotting paper, I staring at her ( = she was admiring her fan …, I was staring at her).

A nominative absolute participial construction as an adverbial modifier of attendant circumstances usually stands in postposition, and

is widely used in literature. It is translated into Russian by a coordinate clause: Мы оба стояли у камина; она любовалась веером из

промокательной бумаги, а я глядел на нее.

Prepositional Absolute Participial Construction with Participle I

A prepositional absolute participial construction differs from a nonprepositional participial construction in that it is introduced by the preposition with. Its nominal part is usually a noun in the common case, or very rarely a personal pronoun in the objective case. It is not necessarily set off by a comma:

e.g. Andrew went into the house with his heart beating fast.

The construction is usually translated into Russian by a coordinate

or a subordinate clause, and sometimes by means of a prepositional phrase, or an adverbial participle (деепричастие):

(Когда) Эндрю вошел в дом, сердце его сильно билось (с

бьющимся сердцем).

The main syntactical function of the construction is an adverbial modifier of attendant circumstances:

e.g. The officer sat with his long fine hands lying on the table perfectly still.

► FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES

Exercise 21. Read the following sentences and state the function of the nominative absolute participial constructions. Translate the sentences into Russian:

1. That police business having been accomplished, he had come to call upon Mr. Smith. (C. Campbell) 2. Sarah having declared that it was simply too wonderful to stay indoors, they all went out. (C. Campbell) 3. It being a hot day, and all of us thirsty, she suggested that we should have a glass of beer. (C. Campbell) 4. It was quite light. A few miners were already in the street: the first of the night shift moving out. As Tom

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walked with them, spent and slow, his footsteps echoing with the others under the morning sky, he kept thinking blindly: “I’ve done something

…” (S. King) 5. “Do you know any of them?” I whispered. “Yes”, he said simply, his voice trembling a little. (C. Campbell) 6. She never was a great talker. Often when, the night being fine, we decided to walk back from the music-hall at which we had been spending the evening, she never opened her mouth. (W.S. Maugham) 7. All being settled, he went to bed and slept soundly. (W.S. Maugham) 8. She turned, losing her restraint, her eyes sparkling with honest indignation. (C. Campbell)

Exercise 22. Read and translate the following sentences. Pay attention to the functions of the nominative absolute participial constructions:

1. He found that Anne had advanced into the hall, her hands folded upon her apron, her eyes contemplating him. (S. King) 2. She counted out the money from her bulging purse, her fingers trembling, her eyes snapping at him. (D.H. Lawrence) 3. As she approached the end of the

bundle (of notes) she went slower and slower, her sly black eyes twinkling. (W.S. Maugham) 4. Mrs. Brandon’s evening began at nine o’clock, the late hour being chosen out of consideration for the medical

gentlemen who might be detained at the surgeries. (W.S. Maugham) 5. They walked silently through the street, Tom very grave, Lisa weeping bitterly. (W.S. Maugham) 6. Very soon they lost the sight of the other machines, each having taken its own course. (C. Campbell) 7. He glared at Tom with outrage, his eyes glittering with excitement. (W.S. Maugham)

Exercise 23. Transform the following sentences using appropriate adverbial clauses:

Example: 1. The door to the room being open, Lora heard what they said. → As the door to the room was open, Lora heard what they said. 2. He ran into the room, his eyes shining. → He ran into the room

and his eyes were shining. 3. Dinner being over, he led them into the parlour. → When dinner was over, he led them into the parlour.

1. She blushed, the hot, red colour running up her neck and across her face. 2. Then she saw the stained point, and she drew back, her eyes widening with horror. 3. Preliminary remarks being over, he proceeded to the main point. 4. It was cool and fragrant on the porch; little breezes playing among the roses overhead. 5. Scarcely nodding to us, he went

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down the walk, his dog running after him. 6. Andrew remained at the gate, his pulse racing suddenly as Christine came down and walked towards him alone. 7. It was Ann herself who opened the door to Tom, her face welcoming him with a smile. 8. The hour being early, the bar in which they made their way was free from the crowds which frequented it. 9. He left the office at half past two yesterday afternoon, the manager having no further need for him. 10. She paused, her gaze still questioning him, her tone striving to be off-hand.

Exercise 24. Transform the following sentences so as to use the

nominative absolute participial construction:

Example: When the door bell rang, Ann rose and left the room. → The door bell ringing Ann rose and left the room.

1. Denny lit a cigarette and his fingers shook so violently he could barely hold the match. 2. She listened to me, tears rolling down her cheeks. 3. As the complications had ensued, recovery was impossible. 4. She said it in a low voice and a spasm of pain crossed her face. 5. When the message was finished, Polly brought Julia a cup of tea. 6. The rain showed no sign of stopping, with umbrellas and waterproofs they set out. 7. After she had gone, he got to thinking the matter over. 8. As the river had risen in the night, the crossing was impossible. 9. It was dark, as the sun had set an hour before.

Exercise 25. Complete the following sentences with the nominative absolute participial constructions. Use the words given in brackets:

1. She looked around, (her eye, to dwell, upon, the litter in the room). 2. (at last, the preparations, to be completed) his eyes surveyed the scene with satisfaction. 3. (the examinations, to be, close, at hand), a queer calmness settled upon him. 4. (his brain, to be inactive, almost dull), he felt that he knew nothing. 5. (the moment, to come), he felt it difficult to speak. 6. (they, to go) he sat thinking the matter over. 7. He woke during the still hot nights (his hand, to reach, automatically, for a cigarette).

Participle I and the Gerund Compared

Participle I and the gerund are alike in their verbal characteristics, both morphological (the categories of voice and perfect) and syntactical (verbal combinability).

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The difference between the two lies in their non-verbal characteristics, that is in their syntactical functions and non-verbal combinability. Participle I, unless substantivized, cannot be used as subject or object, whereas such use is typical of the noun and therefore of the gerund.

When used as adverbial modifier or attribute, participle I like an adjective or an adverb is never preceded by a preposition. On the other hand when the gerund is used as attribute or adverbial modifier it is preceded by a preposition like a noun in these functions.

The difference between the two is also to be found in the nominal tendencies of the gerund and the adjectival tendencies of participle I. This is most evident in their function of a predicative and an attribute.

As predicative participle I gives qualitative characteristics to the subject, thus tending towards an adjective:

e.g. The sound of the thunder was deafening.

The gerund does not qualify the subject, it rather identifies the subject by revealing its meaning:

e.g. His favourite occupation is playing football (or just football). When a gerund or a participle is used as an attribute, the difference

between them does not lie only in the absence, or presence of the preposition, but also in their relationship to the modified noun. Participle I denotes an action that the person or thing performs or experiences. Thus the modified noun denotes the doer of the action expressed by the participle:

e.g. What is the name of the man talking with your sister?

The gerund usually reveals the meaning of the modified noun, which never denotes the performer of the action:

e.g. What the use of crying so?

That was my last chance of seeing him.

When used as an adverbial modifier, the gerund is more varied in its application than the participle because it is used with different prepositions.

The participle and the gerund are interchangeable when used as adverbial modifiers of time characterizing the verb through simultaneous or prior events:

e.g. Discussing the plan we heard a lot of helpful suggestions. In discussing the plan we heard a lot of helpful suggestions. Entering the room he closed the door.

On entering the room he closed the door.

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Only the gerund is possible when the starting or the final point of the action is meant:

e.g. He has never been at his native town since leaving it in 1964.

You must get your parents’ permission before leaving for the mountains.

Yet there are a number of cases, especially among predicative constructions, where the –ing form may be treated either as a participle or a gerund, the difference between them being neutralized:

e.g. I remember them staying with us once. Fancy him saying so!

► FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES

Exercise 26. Read the sentences and guess whether participle I or gerund is used in these sentences. Translate the sentences and prove

your answer:

1. They tend to believe there is a “secret formula” to writing a commercially successful novel, but there isn’t. (S. King) 2. The kitchen

was at the back of the house, facing inward between the blocks, looking at a scrubby back garden. (D.H. Lawrence) 3. She went indoors, wondering if things were never going to alter. (D.H. Lawrence) 4. Their

host spoke up for the first time since telling them his mind was full of holes, or whatever it was he’d said. (S. King) 5. He only raised his voice

a little, but it was enough to start Mary crying. (S. King) 6. And looking ahead, the prospect of her life made her feel as if she were buried alive. (D.H. Lawrence) 7. No one is more anxious to improve himself than he and he hopes he is still capable of learning. (W.S. Maugham) 8. She was looking at Peter, her eyes huge and horrified, asking him without speaking if he had heard what the cop had mixed in with the rest of it, that robotic voice never varying. (S. King) 9. There she stood, trying to

soothe herself with the scent of flowers and the fading, beautiful evening. (D.H. Lawrence) 10. “Can I have my dinner, mother?” he

cried, rushing in with his cap on. (D.H. Lawrence) 11. He practically

never had to miss work owing to his drinking. (D.H. Lawrence) 12. “Go,” he cried thickly, lifting his fist. (D.H. Lawrence) 13. He had that

rare thing, a rich, ringing laugh. (D.H. Lawrence) 14. The stay-at-home mothers stood gossiping at the corners of the alley, as the twilight sank, folding their arms under their white aprons. (D.H. Lawrence) 15. The cop slowed, but not much, before making the right. The car started to tip

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and Peter saw Mary drawing in breath. (S. King) 16. Her blue eyes were very straight, honest, and searching. (D.H. Lawrence) 17. She went into the front garden, feeling too heavy to take herself out, yet unable to stay indoors. (D.H. Lawrence) 18. He looked into the mirror again, the lenses of the glasses he wore for driving glinting in the sun. (S. King) 19. The cop slowed, but not much, before making the right. The car started to tip and Peter saw Mary drawing in breath. (S. King) 20. During the war no pearlers came out and for years he never saw a living soul. (W.S. Maugham)

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PARTICIPLE II

Participle II is a non-finite form of the verb with verbal and adjectival features. Participle II stands apart from the other non-finites in that it does not possess their morphological categories. Nevertheless, being a verb form, it possesses the potential verbal meaning of voice, aspect and perfect, which depend upon the meaning of the verb it is formed from and which are realized in the context.

The main meanings of participle II are those of a state as a result of some action or an action itself. One of the most essential characteristics of participle II is that when it is used as part of the sentence, participle II of a transitive verb is passive in meaning, participle II of an intransitive verb is active.

Thus the participles invited, told, taken are semantically passive and correspond to the Russian passive participles приглашенный, рассказанный, взятый. The participles arrived, gone, risen are

semantically active and correspond to the Russian active participles

прибывший, ушедший, поднявшийся (взошедший).

The adjectival nature of participle II manifests itself in its function in the sentence, which is usually that of either attribute or predicative. It may combine with adverbs of degree typical of adjectives, such as very, too, slightly, so, much, more:

e.g. I am very pleased with you.

The children were too excited to notice the newcomer.

Instead of the negation not, which we find with the other nonfinites, participle II is often negated with the prefix un-, as in unfinished, unanswered.

Similar to adjectives and participle I, participle II may form adverbs with the help of the suffix –ly: fixedly, admittedly, unhurriedly.

The adjectival nature of participle II is traced in adjectivized participles with a form different from the verbal participle II. These forms occur as attributes in such phrases as on bended knees, a drunken man, a lighted match, roast meat, a rotten apple, a well-shaven man, sodden clothes, sunken eyes, a swollen river. Some forms are used predicatively: to be well-stricken in years, to be panic-stricken, povertystricken (but thunder-struck, theatre-struck).

The verbal character of participle II is manifested in its combinability. Thus participle II of transitive verbs easily combines with a by-object denoting the doer of the action:

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e.g. Jane entered the room followed by her brother.

Participles II of phrasal verbs retain their composite structure: a boy brought up in a teacher’s family.

Participles II of prepositional transitive verbs are followed by the appropriate prepositions: a book often asked for, the article referred to, a man much spoken of.

Participle II may be accompanied by an adverbial modifier expressed by adverbs or phrases combining with verbs: a house built two years before, man hidden in the bush, a play well acted, a story long forgotten.

One of the main verbal features of participle II is revealed in its functioning as part of the compound verb forms of the passive voice and the perfect.

Syntactical Functions of Participle II

As part of the sentence participle II may stand alone or be the headword of a participial phrase. It may function as an attribute, a predicative, or as an adverbial modifier.

Participle II as Attribute

Participle II in the function of an attribute can be used:

1)before the modified noun when it stands alone or forms a very short participial phrase containing an adverb:

e.g. A broken cup was lying on the table. It was a neatly written letter.

2)after the noun it modifies. Participle II can stand alone or it may be accompanied by a preposition, by an agentive by-object, an adverb and prepositional phrases as adverbial modifiers:

e.g. Things seen are mightier than things heard.

The dictionary referred to is to be found in our library.

This firm is interested in the purchase of automobiles produced by our plants (= which are produced by our plants).

Two women dimly seen in the shadow are talking softly.

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