The Participle

Form

Transitive verbs

Intransitive verbs

Active voice

Passive voice

Active voice

Participle I (Present Participle)

writing

being written

going

Participle II (Past Participle)



written

gone

Perfect Participle

having written

having been written

having gone

Seeing that I was late I hurried. Be careful while crossing the street. Being left alone I went on with my work. She tried to calm the crying child. Not knowing what to say he kept silent.

Participle I (Active and Passive) denotes an action simultaneous with the action expressed by the finite verb.

Having written the letter he went to post it. Having finished their classes the students went home.

Perfect Participle (Active and Passive) denotes an action prior to that of the finite verb.

Being asked for her opinion she blushed. Having been shown the wrong direction he lost his way.

Perfect and Non-Perfect Participle (Passive) denotes a passive action.

is used with

the verbs

denoting

a) sense

perceptions:

to see

to hear

to feel

to watch

to observe

to notice

I saw her walking along the street.

We heard him speaking in the next room.

She felt her hand trembling.

I watched the children playing in the garden. The teacher observed the students writing compositions.

b) wish and

mental

activity:

to want

to wish

to find

to leave

I want the letter posted at once.

I wish your dreams realized.

When I returned I found her gone.

He left his work unfinished.

to have

to get

She had her dress made here.

I must have my hair cut.

He will have his coat cleaned.

She must have her hair done.

Have you got your car repaired?

After these verbs only Past Participle is used. It denotes an action performed by someone else for the benefit of the person expressed by the subject.

is used with

the verbs

denoting

sense

perceptions:

to see

to hear

to watch

to notice

to consider

She was seen walking along the street..

Two people were heard quarelling.

They were watched playing in the garden.

He was noticed entering the office.

The work was considered finished.

The rain having stopped, we went home.

The day being fine, she went for a walk.

Time permitting, we’ll go to the forest.

In this complex Participle has its own subject expressed by a noun in the Common Case or a personal pronoun in the Nominative case.

Functions

Examples

Complex Subject

(The Subjective Participle complex)

They were heard speaking in a lively manner.

He was seen surrounded by a group of students.

He was noticed entering the library.

Complex Object

(The Objective Participle complex)

I saw the workers packing the goods.

They watched the car being repaired.

They want the goods shipped on Monday.

Attribute

The cars being produced at our plant are very good.

Adverbial Modifier

Walking in the park, he met his old friend.

The Absolute Participle complex

The letter being written, I went to post it.

He being tired, I decided not to disturb him.