Practice

Exercise 1. Define the type of the following adverbial modifiers.

1. She turned to me for help, not knowing how to deal with the problem.

2. He smoked all the time lighting a fresh cigarette from the end of the last.

3. Having collected all the material, he was able to write a full report on the work of the commission.

4. She spoke as if being a great expert.

5. Having thrown the ball into the water the boy couldn’t get it back.

6. Oh, do go upstairs, Liz! You’ll only catch a cold, hanging around the passage.

7. Seeing them, he stopped to let them to catch up with him.

8. The customs officer stood on deck counting the cases.

9. Being asked whether he intended to return soon, he answered that he would be away for about three months.

10. The letter was illegible as if being written in a hurry.

Exercise 2. Rewrite the sentences using participle and state its function. N.B! Participles are used not only as adverbial modifiers here. [Grammarway 3 p51 ex24, Grammarway 4 p37 ex17]

MODEL: He was lying on the bed and he was reading a book.

...He was lying on the bed reading a book. (Adverbial modifier of attendant circumstances)

1. Lisa took a deep breath and dived into the water.

2. Jack burnt his finger while he was lighting a tire.

3. After Ann had ironed the clothes, she put them away.

4. Because he was cold, James turned on the heater.

5. The photographs, which were taken at the reception, were blurred.

6. Alison washed the paintbrushes before she painted the living room.

7. She was sitting on the sofa and she was knitting a jumper.

8. Because he had forgotten to do the shopping, he ate out that night.

9. The girl who is sitting next to Alison is Vicky.

10. Emma turned the key in the lock and opened the door.

11. Because she was tired. Katie went to bed.

12. He was sitting in the garden and he was drinking his tea.

13. After Janet had made dinner, she called the children.

14. The boy who is standing by the door is my brother.

15. Simon cut his hand while he was chopping some wood.

16. Donna had a shower before she went to bed.

17. Because we were late, we took a taxi.

18. Gary opened the window and breathed the fresh air.

19. She was lying on her bed and she was reading a book.

20. The jewels which were taken by the thieves were very valuable.

21. Amy picked up her pen and started to write the letter.

22. The man who is walking towards us is a relative ol mine.

23. After the teacher had explained the exercise, he asked the students to do it.

24. Because she had forgotten to take her purse, she had to borrow some money from a colleague.

PARTICIPLE II AS ADVERBIAL MODIFIER

[Kobrina]

§ 148. The adverbial function and meaning of participle II can be seen only from the general meaning of the sentence. Thus, if considered by itself the participle phrase, arrived there does not suggest any idea of time, but in the context of the sentence Arrived there, he went into a shop the phrase acquires the function and meaning of an adverbial modifier of time. In the vast majority of cases, when used adverbially, participle II is preceded by a conjunction, which indicates the semantic type of the adverbial modifier.

Participle II may serve as an adverbial modifier of:

time, usually with the conjunction when or until:

He is very affable when spoken to, but naturally silent.

He won’t stop arguing until interrupted.

reason:

Deprived of his wife and son by the Spanish adventure, Jolyon found the solitude at Robin Hill intolerable.

condition, mostly with the conjunctions if or unless:

I shall certainly give evidence on your behalf, if required.

John will speak for hours, unless interrupted.

concession, with the conjunctions though or although:

Though asked in disarming sociability, Haldone’s question was loaded.

comparison, with the conjunctions as if or as though:

“I get off the train,” he repeated as if hypnotized.