Present Participle Clauses

Feeling tired, she decided to go home early.

Notice

  • Feeling tired, she decided to go home early.
  • Walking down the street, I saw an old friend.
  • Not knowing what to say, he stayed silent.
  • Having finished the report, she went for lunch.

Rule

A present participle clause (verb + -ing) replaces a longer clause with because, while, after, or and then, when the subject of both clauses is the same. It gives reason, time, or sequence more efficiently.

Having + past participle shows the action happened before the main clause action.

Practice

  1. Combine: ‘She was exhausted. She went to bed early.’
    Answer: Feeling exhausted, she went to bed early.
  2. Combine: ‘He finished his homework. Then he watched TV.’
    Answer: Having finished his homework, he watched TV.
  3. Combine: ‘I didn’t want to wake anyone. I tiptoed to my room.’
    Answer: Not wanting to wake anyone, I tiptoed to my room.
  4. Correct the error: ‘Walking to work, the rain started.’
    Answer: Walking to work, I got caught in the rain. (The subject of the participle clause must match the main clause subject.)

Connect

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CEFR: Writing — write clear, detailed, well-connected text.

Azizul Hakim
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