Participle as adverbial modifier

[Kobrina]

§ 133. All four forms of participle I can function as adverbial modifiers of different semantic types (time, reason, manner, attendant circumstances and sometimes condition, concession, comparison).

In some cases, however, the functional meaning is not so obvious. For example, there may be a combination of causal and temporal meaning as in (Seeing her, he stopped (he stopped because he saw her, or when he saw her)); or of causal and conditional meaning (Living alone, one becomes self-centred (as one lives alone, or if one lives alone)).

PARTICIPLE I AS ADVERBIAL MODIFIER OF TIME

[Kobrina]

Participle I as adverbial modifier of time may denote a simultaneous or a prior action. Here it corresponds to the Russian adverbial participle (деепричастие).

Non-perfect participle I active, when used as an adverbial modifier of time, usually conveys some specific action or state. Most often it is a participle of the verbs of motion (come, walk, go), position in space (sit, lie, stand).

Walking along the track, towards Buckmaster's Bowen burst into song.

Lying in the hospital with his rotting wound, he dictated his farewell letter to his brother.

The notion of time is expressed by the conjunctions when and while.

He felt horrible while saying this.

Don't forget articles when speaking English.

Participle I passive in this function usually denotes priority.

Being left alone, Paulina and I kept silence for some time.

Perfect participle I as adverbial modifier of time, always denotes a prior action:

They wrote because they had to, and having written, thought only of what they were going to write next.

PARTICIPLE I AS ADVERBIAL MODIFIER OF REASON

[Kobrina]

§ 133. Participle I as adverbial modifier of reason can be expressed by all the four forms. The most frequently used non-perfect participles I are those of verbs denoting mental perception and emotions, for example, knowing, realizing, remembering, expecting, hoping, fearing; also the participles being and having.

Hoping to catch the train, we took a taxi.

Being hungry, I ate.

Having decided on this course of action some time ago, I was unable to stay at home.

Another characteristic feature of participles functioning as adverbials of reason consists in their combinability with negation (no matter what it is expressed by).

I turned back, not knowing where to go.

Practice

ADVERBIAL MODIFIER OF TIME

Exercise 1. Replace the adverbial clauses of time by the Participle. [Drozdova p.335ex7]

MODEL: When you speak English, pay attention to the intonation.

Speaking English, pay attention to the intonation.

1. Be careful when you cross a street. 2. When you leave the room, don't forget to switch off the light. 3. When you begin to work with the dictionary, don't forget my instructions. 4. When they were travelling in Central Africa, the explorers met many wild animals. 5. When you copy English texts, pay attention to the articles. 6. You must have much practice when you are learning to speak a foreign language.

Exercise 2. Replace the adverbial clauses of time by the appropriate form of the Participle. [Drozdova p.335ex8]

Увидев, видя	seeing (тогда)
когда увидел	having seen (раньше)

1.When I entered the room, I felt some change in the atmosphere at once. 2. When we had finally reached the river, we decided to stay there and wait for the others. 3. When she had cut the bread, she started to make the coffee. 4. When she opened the parcel, she saw a large box of pencils. 5. When they had finally opened the safe, they found that most of the papers had gone. 6. When she closed the suitcase, she put it on the bed. 7. When she had closed and locked the suitcase, she rang for the porter to come and take it downstairs.

Exercise 3. Replace the adverbial clauses of time by the appropriate form of the Participle. [Drozdova p.335ex.9]

читая
когда читаю		(when, while) reading
когда читал
прочитав
когда прочитал				having read
потому что прочитал

1. As she had been walking most of the night, she felt tired and sleepy. 2. When I take a child to the circus, I always know I'm going to enjoy myself. 3. As I had never seen anything like that before, I was eager to see the performance. 4. When he had passed the last examination, he began to look round for a job. 5. When he had drunk his second cup oi coffee, he folded the newspaper and rose. 6. Whenever she spoke on the subject, she was liable to get all hot and bothered. 7. When I had finally made up my mind, I told my parents about my new plans. 8. As she had spent most of her housekeeping money, she reluctantly decided to go home. 9. As she had not had any lunch, she wanted her tea badly. 10. When I spoke to her I always tried to make my meaning clear. 11. When we were playing chess that evening, we kept watching each other. 12. When she had taken the children to school, she could go and do her weekly shopping.

Exercise 4. Join the pairs of sentences, using Participle I as an adverbial modifier of time where possible. [Simkhovich p228 ex21]

MODEL: Sue was doing her homework. She was interrupted several times.

While doing her homework, Sue was interrupted several times.

1. He was taken ill. He was travelling by air from New York to London.

2. He did his homework. Then he went to the skating-rink.

3. They found the money. Then they began quarrelling about how to use it.

4. He was reading a book. He came across an old and valuable map.

5. She looked out of the window. She saw the neighbour's children planting a tree.

6. He seized a sheet of paper and a pen. He began to write something.

7. We visited the museum. Then we decided to have lunch in the park.

8. She entered the room suddenly. She found them smoking.

9. I turned on the light. I was astonished at what I saw.

10. He entered the room. He took off the hat.

11. John was doing his English. He was interrupted several times.

12. He often writes letters. He dislikes to be bothered.

13. He climbed the hill. Then he sat down to have a rest.

14. He was a schoolboy. He used to play chess with his father.

15. She finished the painting. Then she gave a sigh of relief.

Exercise 5. Translate into English using Participle I as an adverbial modifier of time.

[Klys p194 ex7]

1. Будьте осторожны, пересекая улицу. (2 варианта)

2. Написав сочинение, она начала переводить текст.

3. Он заснул, сидя в кресле под деревом.

4. Закрыв за ней дверь, он вернулся в свою комнату.

5. Взглянув на закрытую дверь, молодой человек подошел поближе.

6. Попрощавшись, они вышли из комнаты.

7. Сняв старое платье, она надела новое.

8. Хлопнув дверью, он вышел из дома.

9. Приблизившись к центру города, он остановился и позвонил Милли.

10. Закрыв окно, он подошел к письменному столу.

11. Когда он был молодым, он часто ездил в командировку за границу.

12. Выглянув из окна, он увидел свою сестру с друзьями.

13. Войдя в комнату, она сразу же увидела там Тома.

14. Объяснив все подробно, он спокойно сел на свое место.

15. Выйдя из машины, он медленно пошел в сторону дома.

16. Я снова встретил его в аэропорту по возвращении домой.

ADVERBIAL MODIFIER OF REASON (CAUSE)

Exercise 1. Say why somebody is treated so. Use Participle I as an adverbial modifier of cause (reason). [Simkhovich p229 ex23]

MODEL: Why is she loved by everybody? (kind-hearted)

Being a kind-hearted girl, she is loved by everybody.

1. Why is Brian respected by his colleagues? (very experienced) 2. Why is Jack always asked to lend money?(generous and rich) 3. Why is Daniel invited to dinner parties? (easy-going and friendly) 4. Why are the Swiss always spoken with approval? (serious and trustworthy) 5. Why are the Belgians least admired by the Europeans? (undisciplined and narrow-minded) 6. Why are the Italians more admired by the French? (vivacious and charming like the French) 7. Why was your assistant praised by the executive manager? (sensible in making a difficult decision) 8. Why is Sally loved by her friends? (good-natured) 9. Why are the Germans respected by most Europeans? (industrial and punctual) 10. Why was he the most eligible for suspicion in the country at war? (a stranger)

Exercise 2. Say why somebody failed to do it. [Simkhovich p229 ex22]

MODEL: Mary’s phone number. (ring up).

Not knowing Mary’s phone number, Nick couldn’t ring her up.

1. French (understand what the participants were talking about). 1. Where the Witlins lived (visit them when I was in Liverpool). 3. Roger's taste (buy a birthday present to please

him). 4. How to get in touch with them (invite them for barbeque in our cottage). 5. The clauses of the agreement (sign it). 6. The shortest way to the railway station (to come on time). 7. How to contact his bank manager in Egypt (raise a loan). 8. His generosity (ask him to lend me some millions to start up a business). 9. Jamie's honesty (believe any of his words). 10. Much about the problems of foreign investment (contradict the arguments suggested by the foreign investors). 11. The latest data of the enterprise's output (make a detailed report on its progress). 12. About a vacancy in the R&D Department (apply for this post).

Exercise 3 Join the sentences using Participle I as an adverbial modifier of cause (reason). [Klys p194ex8]

1. You've promised to give him every assistance. You can't go back on your word.

2. It's a pity I don't know French. So I couldn't understand what they were talking about at yesterday's meeting.

3. He found no one at home. He left the house in a bad temper.

4. I came here this afternoon. I thought I might find Garry.

5. I paused. I didn't know how to express myself.

6. The book is written in simple English. It's suitable for beginners.

7. He wasn't surprised to see her. He had been informed about her arrival.

8. Mel stopped. He realized he was talking to himself.

9. She didn't want to hear the story again. She had heard it all before.

10. She moved away. She felt slightly embarrassed.

11. She asked me to help her. She realized she couldn't move it alone.

12. She stared back. She didn't know what to do.

13. He offered to show us the way home. He thought we were lost.

Exercise 4. Translate into English using Participle I as an adverbial modifier of cause.

[Klys p195 ex9]

1. Так как он хорошо знал английский язык, он перевел статью без словаря.

2. Прожив в этом городе всю свою жизнь, он знал его очень хорошо.

3. Потеряв адрес своего старого друга, я не смог навестить его, когда был в командировке в его городе.

4. Так как товары были упакованы в прочные мешки, они прибыли в хорошем состоянии.

5. Не понимая этого правила, она попросила преподавателя объяснить ей его еще раз.

6. Поскольку она была умной и доброй, все любили и уважали ее.

7. Проработав весь день на солнце, я чувствовал себя уставшим.

8. Я не смог переодеться, так как оставил свои вещи на вокзале.

9. Так как я сам раньше некоторое время работал в этой области, я понимал его.

10. Не видев ее много лет, он не узнал ее сначала.

11. Так как профессор был болен, он не смог прочитать лекцию в понедельник.

12. Не зная, что делать, она села на диван и уставилась на картину, висевшую на стене напротив.

13. Имея много времени, мы решили пойти на вокзал пешком.

14. Так как мы очень устали, мы моментально уснули.

15. Они смогли принять активное участие в обсуждении доклада, так как хорошо знали данный вопрос.

ADVERBIAL MODIFIER OF TIME+ REASON

STUDY THE NOTES [Murphy Unit 67]

-ing clauses (Feeling tired, I went to bed early.)

А A clause is a part of a sentence. Some sentences have two of more clauses:

• Jim hurt his arm playing tennis.

• Feeling tired, I went to bed early.

‘Playing tennis’ and ‘feeling tired” are –ing clauses.

If the –ing clause is first (as in the second example), we write a comma (,) between the clauses.

B When two things happen at the same time, you can use –ing for one of the verbs. The main clause usually comes first:

• I’ve just seen Carol. She’s in the bar having a drink. (= she is in the bar and she is having a drink)

• A man ran out of the house shouting. (= he ran out of the house and he was shouting)

We also use –ing when one action happens during another action. We use –ing for the longer action. The longer action is the second part of the sentence:

• Jim hurl his arm playing tennis. ( = white he was playing)

• Did you cut yourself shaving? (= while you were shaving) You can also use –ing after while or when:

• Jim hurt his arm while playing tennis.

• Be careful when crossing the road. (= when you arc crossing)

С When one action happens before another action, we use having (done) for the first action:

• Having found a hotel, we looked for somewhere to have dinner.

• Having finished her work, she went home. You can also say after –ing:

• After finishing her work, she went home.

If one short action follows another short action, you can use the simple –ing form (doing instead of having done) for the first action:

• Taking a key out of his pocket, he opened the door.

These structures are used more in written English than in spoken English.

D You can use an –ing clause to explain something or to say why somebody does something. The –ing clause usually comes: first:

• Feeling tired, I went to bed early. (= because I felt tired)

• Being unemployed, lie hasn’t got much money. (=because he is unemployed)

• Not having a car, she finds it difficult to get around. (= because she doesn’t have a car)

• Having already seen the film twice, I didn’t want to go to the cinema. (= because I had already seen it twice)

These structures arc used more in written English than in spoken English.

F Non-perfect participle may also denote a posterior action, immediately following the first action being its result.

• Lizzy left the room, banging the door shut.

• John fell, hurting his knee.