The Participle-Non-Finite form of the Verb
The Participle
The participle is a non-finite verb form that possesses properties of both verbs and adjectives (and sometimes adverbs). It can be used to create verb phrases, participial phrases, and adjectival phrases.
Participles, as verb forms that function as adjectives, can be used to modify or describe nouns, effectively turning them into attributes. When a participle is used to modify a noun, it acts like an adjective, providing additional information about the noun.
For example: The running water is refreshing. (The participle running modifies the noun water and acts as an adjective, describing what kind of water it is.)
The broken vase needs to be fixed. (The participle broken modifies the noun vase and acts as an adjective, describing the condition of the vase.)
The excited children eagerly opened their presents. (The participle excited modifies the noun children and acts as an adjective, describing the state of the children.)
In each of these examples, the participle acts as an attribute that describes or qualifies the associated noun.
Participle as adverbial modifier:
Participles can also function as adverbial modifiers when they modify the action expressed in the main clause or the predicate of a sentence as an adverb. In this role, they provide additional information about how, when, or why the action in the main clause occurs.
For example: She sang the song gently, moving the audience to tears. (The participle gently modifies the verb sang and acts as an adverbial modifier, describing how she sang the song.)
Exhausted, they finally reached the mountain’s summit. (The participle exhausted modifies the understood subject they and acts as an adverbial modifier, describing the state of the subject at the time of the action.)
Having finished their homework, the students went outside to play. (The participle phrase Having finished modifies the main clause the students went outside to play and acts as an adverbial modifier, providing the reason for their going outside.)
In each of these examples, the participle or participle phrase serves as an adverbial modifier, adding information to the main clause or predicate.
The Participle with adverbs:
Adverbs can add details to the participle by modifying the participle’s action, providing additional information about how, when, where, or to what degree the action is performed. Adverbs play a crucial role in adding specificity and nuance to the participle’s meaning in a sentence.
In the sentence Packing his things quickly, he hurried to the station, the adverb quickly adds detail to the participle packing. It tells us how the action of packing is being performed—specifically, that it is done in a fast manner.
Similarly, consider the following examples:
Smiling happily, she greeted her friends. (The adverb happily adds detail to the participle smiling, indicating the manner in which she is smiling.)
Running outside, the children played in the park. (The adverb outside adds detail to the participle running, specifying where the children are running.)
Carefully considering his options, he made a decision. (The adverb carefully adds detail to the participle considering, describing how he is considering his options.)
In each of these examples, the adverbs modify the participles, providing additional information that adds depth and precision to the action being described.
Here’s the table with the participle forms in different tenses and voices:
| Tense | Present Active | Present Passive | Past Active | Past Passive | Perfect Active | Perfect Passive |
| Voice | asking | being asked | – | Written | having written | having been written |
Present Participle active:
Let’s discuss the forming rules of the present participle in the active voice, along with some rules of orthography (spelling) that apply when creating present participles.
The present participle in the active voice is used to form the present continuous tense and the present perfect continuous tense. To create the present participle, follow these general rules:
For most verbs, add -ing to the base form of the verb:
walk-walking
talk-talking
sing-singing
For verbs ending in e, remove the e and add –ing:
dance-dancing
write-writing
For one-syllable verbs with a single vowel followed by a single consonant, double the final consonant before adding -ing:
run-running
swim-swimming
For two-syllable verbs with the stress on the final syllable, double the final consonant before adding -ing:
prefer- preferring
permit-permitting
For two-syllable verbs with the stress on the first syllable, do not double the final consonant:
open-opening
enter-entering
For three-syllable or more verbs, follow the same rules as two-syllable verbs:
consider-considering
participate-participating
Rules of Orthography (Spelling):
When a verb ends in ie, change ie to y before adding -ing:
lie-lying
die-dying
For verbs ending in c, add k before adding -ing:
panic-panicking
picnic-picnicking
For verbs ending in a single l, double the l before adding -ing:
travel-travelling (in British English)
travel-traveling (in American English)
For verbs ending in y preceded by a consonant, change y to i before adding -ing:
study-studying
fly-flying
Present Participle passive:
Is formed by using auxiliary verb to be in Present Participle form -being-and with Past Participle of a main verb.
Add being before the Past Participle of a main verb:
Being written the letter was sent immediately.
Being packed the goods were delivered to the shops.
Past Participle active and Past Participle passive:
Let’s discuss the forming rules of the past participle in both the active and passive voices:
Past Participle in Active Voice:
The past participle (for intransitive verbs) in the active voice and the Past Participle( for transitive verbs) in passive voice is used to form the simple past tense and the present perfect tense.
The formation of the past participle is generally as follows:
For regular verbs, add -ed to the base form of the verb:
walk-walk
talk-talked
play-played
For verbs ending in e, simply add -d to the base form of the verb:
dance-danced
smile-smiled
For one-syllable verbs with a single vowel followed by a single consonant, double the final consonant before adding -ed:
stop-stopped
plan-planned
For two-syllable verbs with the stress on the final syllable, double the final consonant before adding -ed:
prefer-preferred
admit-admitted
For two-syllable verbs with the stress on the first syllable, do not double the final consonant:
open-opened
enter-entered
For irregular verbs, the past participle forms are unique and do not follow the regular rules,
For example:
go-gone
be-been
have-had
Remember that irregular verbs have their own unique past participle forms that need to be memorized since they do not follow the regular rules.
Perfect Participle in Active Voice:
The formation of the perfect participle in the active voice is as follows:
Add having before the past participle of the main verb:
Present Perfect: having + past participle of the main verb
Example: Having played, she felt tired.
Having lost the keys, the boy couldn’t open the door
Perfect Participle in Passive Voice:
The formation of the perfect participle in the passive voice is as follows:
Add having been before the past participle of the main verb:
Perfect Participle Passive: having been + past participle of the main verb
Example: Having been repaired, the car is running smoothly.
Example: Having been submitted, the report was finally accepted.
In summary, the non-finite forms of the perfect participle in the active voice are having + past participle, and in the passive voice, they are having been + past participle.
For example, for the verb write, the perfect participles would be:
Active Voice: having written
Having written the letter, she felt accomplished.
Having written their essays, they submitted them.
Passive Voice: having been written
Having been written, the letter is now ready for delivery.
Having been written, the essays were sent to the professor.
The Present Participle active: usage
The present participle in the active voice has various usages in English. Let’s explore each one you mentioned:
Present Participle as Simultaneous Actions:
The present participle is used to express two actions that are happening simultaneously.
Example: While she was studying, her sister was cooking dinner.
In this example, studying and cooking are both present participles expressing two actions happening at the same time.
Present Participle as Attribute Nouns:
The present participle can function as an adjective and act as an attribute noun to modify a noun.
Example: Before the nouns: The rising sun is beautiful. (The present participle rising modifies the noun sun.)
After the nouns: The man, smoking, is my friend. (The present participle smoking modifies the noun man.)
Present Participle as Adverbial Modifier for Time, Cause, and Manner:
Time: The present participle can modify a verb or clause to indicate the time of the action.
Example: While discharging the ship, the crew worked tirelessly.
Cause: The present participle can indicate the cause or reason for an action.
Example: Knowing English well, he applied for the job.
Manner: The present participle can describe how an action is performed.
Example: He sat in the armchair, reading a newspaper.
Present Participle in the Present Continuous Tense
The present participle is used in the present continuous tense to form progressive verb tenses.
Example: They are playing soccer in the park.
In this example, playing is the present participle, and it is used to form the present continuous tense of the verb play.
Overall, the present participle in the active voice is a versatile form that allows us to express various aspects of actions, time, and manner. Its usage enhances the richness and flexibility of the English language.
The Perfect Participle active: usage
The perfect participle in the active voice has various uses, including functioning as an adverbial modifier expressing time and cause. Let’s explore each one you mentioned:
Perfect Participle as Adverbial Modifier for Time:
The perfect participle is used to indicate that an action in the past was completed before another action in the past.
Example: Having collected all the material, he started working on the project.
In this example, Having collected serves as an adverbial modifier indicating that the action of collecting the material was completed before he started working on the project.
Perfect Participle as Adverbial Modifier of Cause:
The perfect participle can indicate the reason or cause for the main action.
Example: Having lived in London for many years, he became familiar with the city’s culture.
Here, Having lived functions as an adverbial modifier expressing the reason or cause for his familiarity with London’s culture.
Perfect Participle as Adverbial Modifier of Time in the Past Perfect Tense:
In the past perfect tense, the perfect participle is used in adverbial clauses to show that one action happened before another action in the past.
Example: After he had collected all the material, he started working on the project.
In this example, After he had collected functions as an adverbial modifier indicating that the action of collecting the material happened before he started working on the project.
Overall, the perfect participle in the active voice allows us to express actions completed before another action or to provide reasons and causes for actions in a concise and meaningful way.
The present participle in the passive voice can indeed function as an attribute in attribute clauses and as an adverbial modifier for cause and time. Let’s explore each of the examples you provided:
Present Participle Passive as an Attribute in Attribute Clauses:
The present participle in the passive voice can be used to create attribute clauses that modify nouns.
Example: The large building being built in our street is a new school.
In this example, being built in our street is a present participle passive clause acting as an attribute to modify the noun building.
Present Participle Passive as an Adverbial Modifier of Cause:
The present participle in the passive voice can indicate the reason or cause for the main action.
Example: Being packed in strong cases, the goods arrived in good conditions.
Here, Being packed in strong cases functions as an adverbial modifier expressing the cause or reason for the goods arriving in good conditions.
Present Participle Passive as an Adverbial Modifier of Time:
The present participle in the passive voice can indicate the time of the action in the past.
Example: Being asked whether he intended to return, he hesitated for a moment.
In this example, Being asked whether he intended to return serves as an adverbial modifier indicating the time when he hesitated.
In each case, the present participle in the passive voice adds valuable information to the sentence, either by modifying a noun in an attribute clause or by expressing cause or time for the main action.
The past participle in the passive voice can function as an attribute before nouns, after nouns, and in various ways to express different actions. Let’s explore each of the examples you provided:
Past Participle Passive as an Attribute Before Nouns:
The past participle in the passive voice can be used as an attribute before nouns to modify them.
Example: A broken cup lay on the floor.
In this example, broken is the past participle passive, and it acts as an attribute before the noun cup.
Past Participle Passive as an Attribute After Nouns:
The past participle in the passive voice can also be used as an attribute after nouns to provide additional information about the nouns.
Example: We saw the autos produced by our plants.
Here, produced by our plants is a past participle passive clause used as an attribute after the noun autos.
Past Participle Passive for Expressing Actions as Usual, in General:
The past participle in the passive voice can express actions that are typical or usual for a given situation.
Example: They sent us a list of goods imported by that firm.
In this example, imported by that firm is a past participle passive clause expressing the typical action of goods being imported by that firm.The past participle in the passive voice can also express actions happening at the present time.
Example: The large building being built in our street is a new school.
Here, being built in our street is a past participle passive clause indicating that the building is currently under construction.
In each case, the past participle in the passive voice adds valuable information to the sentence, either by modifying nouns, expressing typical actions, or indicating actions happening in the present time.
The past participle in the passive voice can indeed function as a nominal predicate, an adverbial modifier for time, and an adverbial modifier for cause. Let’s explore each of the examples you provided:
Past Participle Passive as a Nominal Predicate:
The past participle in the passive voice can function as a nominal predicate, which means it serves as the main verb in a sentence and modifies the subject by providing information about its state or condition.
Example: My pencil is broken.
In this example, broken is the past participle passive and serves as the nominal predicate, providing information about the state of the subject my pencil.
Past Participle Passive as an Adverbial Modifier for Time:
The past participle in the passive voice can indicate the time of an action in the past.
Example: Squeezed by ice, the steamer could not continue.
Here, Squeezed by ice is a past participle passive clause functioning as an adverbial modifier indicating the time when the action (the steamer not continuing) occurred.
Past Participle Passive as an Adverbial Modifier for Cause:
The past participle in the passive voice can indicate the reason or cause for the main action.
Example: The steamer could not continue squeezed by ice.
In this example, squeezed by ice functions as an adverbial modifier expressing the cause or reason for the steamer’s inability to continue.
In each case, the past participle in the passive voice adds valuable information to the sentence, either by serving as the main verb and describing the subject’s state, indicating the time of an action, or providing the cause for the main action.
The Past Participle with to have:
The past participle in the passive voice is used with the auxiliary verb to have to form perfect tenses. This combination creates various perfect tense forms in the passive voice. Let’s take a look at some examples:
Present Perfect Passive:
The present perfect passive tense is formed by using
have been + [past participle of the main verb].
Example: The book has been read by many people.
Past Perfect Passive:
The past perfect passive tense is formed by using
had been+ [past participle of the main verb].
Example: The report had been submitted before the deadline.
Future Perfect Passive:
The future perfect passive tense is formed by using
will have been + [past participle of the main verb].
Example: The project will have been completed by next week.
In each of these examples, the past participle in the passive voice (e.g., read, submitted, completed) is used in combination with the appropriate form of the auxiliary verb to have to form the perfect tenses in the passive voice.
Remember that the passive voice is used to emphasize the action done to the subject rather than the subject performing the action. The perfect passive tenses indicate actions that were completed or will be completed before a certain time in the past, present, or future.
The perfect participle in the passive voice, having been sent to the wrong address, can function as an adverbial modifier of cause and time. Additionally, the perfect participle passive, present participle passive, and past participle can sometimes be used interchangeably, depending on the context. Let’s explore this further:
Perfect Participle Passive as Adverbial Modifier of Cause and Time:
The perfect participle in the passive voice can indicate the cause or reason for an action, as well as the time when an action occurred.
Example: Having been sent to the wrong address, the package was delayed.
Here, Having been sent to the wrong address is a perfect participle passive clause functioning as an adverbial modifier expressing the cause (the package was delayed because it was sent to the wrong address) and the time (before the package was delayed).
Substitution of Perfect Participle Passive with Present Participle Passive and Past Participle:
In some cases, the perfect participle passive can be substituted with either the present participle passive or the past participle, depending on the context. However, the meaning may slightly differ.
Example: Being sent to the wrong address, the package was delayed.
Example: Sent to the wrong address, the package was delayed.
In these examples, Being sent and Sent are the present participle passive and past participle, respectively, and they can replace the perfect participle passive Having been sent to convey similar information about the cause and time.
Keep in mind that while substitution is possible in some cases, the context and the intended emphasis may influence the choice of the participle form used.
The Objective with Present Participle:
After verbs of perception like to feel, to notice, to see, to watch, to observe, and to hear, we often use the objective construction with a present participle. This construction creates a complex object in the sentence.
The rule for this construction is as follows:
Rule: After verbs of perception, use the objective case pronoun (me, you, him, her, it, us, them) and the noun in the common case (the dog, Liza) followed by the present participle of the verb.
Examples: I saw him swimming in the pool.
In this example, him is in the objective case. Swimming is the present participle of the verb swim. The whole phrase him swimming in the pool functions as the complex object.
She noticed me reading a book.
In this sentence, me is in the objective case. Reading is the present participle of the verb read. The complex object is me reading a book.
They heard us singing in the choir.
In this example, us is in the objective case. Singing is the present participle of the verb sing. The complex object is us singing in the choir.
We watched the cat playing with a ball of yarn.
In this sentence, the cat is in the common case. Playing is the present participle of the verb play. The complex object is the cat playing with a ball of yarn.
Remember, the objective construction with a present participle is used specifically after verbs of perception to describe an action that is observed or perceived by the subject of the sentence.
The objective with the infinitive and the objective with the present participle:
are two different grammatical constructions that involve using a pronoun in the objective case along with a verb form, but they serve different purposes and have distinct structures.
There is a difference between using the infinitive without the particle to and using the present participle after verbs of perception. Let’s explore the two constructions:
Infinitive without to after verbs of perception (e.g., feel, observe, notice, hear, watch, see):
When verbs of perception are followed by an infinitive without the particle to, they indicate purpose or intention. In this construction, the subject of the main clause is the one who perceives the action or situation. The infinitive without to expresses the intended or perceived action.
Example: I saw him enter the room.
Objective with present participle after verbs of perception:
In this construction, verbs of perception are followed by the present participle (verb + -ing). The subject of the main clause is not the one performing the action; rather, it is someone or something else. The present participle describes an action that is ongoing or continuous.
Example: I saw him dancing in the room. (the present participle dancing describes the ongoing action he was performing.)
It’s essential to pay attention to the context to understand the grammatical meaning and how the subject’s perception relates to the action being described.
Past Participle Construction:
There is another construction that involves using the past participle with verbs of perception. This construction is commonly known as the perfect participle or past participle as an adjective.
Structure: The construction consists of a verb of perception (e.g., see, hear, notice, observe) followed by the past participle of the verb, functioning as an adjective.
Usage: The past participle in this construction helps to describe an action that was already completed or in progress before the perception occurred.
Examples: She heard the news reported by the journalists.
In this example, heard is the verb of perception, and reported is the past participle. The past participle reported functions as an adjective describing the news. It indicates that the news was already reported before she heard it.
I saw a movie directed by a famous filmmaker.
Here, saw is the verb of perception, and directed is the past participle. The past participle directed functions as an adjective describing a movie. It suggests that the movie was made by a famous filmmaker before the speaker saw it.
They noticed the changes made to the building.
In this sentence, noticed is the verb of perception, and made is the past participle. The past participle made functions as an adjective describing the changes. It indicates that the changes were already completed before they noticed them.
In these examples, the verbs of perception (heard, saw, noticed) are followed by past participles (reported, directed, made), which act as adjectives to describe the objects (the news, a movie, the changes). The past participle in this construction conveys a sense of action that happened or was completed prior to the perception.
To summarize, along with the objective with the infinitive and objective with the present participle constructions, the past participle with verbs of perception is another important grammatical structure used in English sentences.
The construction with verbs of wish:
The construction with wish can indeed involve both the objective with the infinitive in passive voice and the past participle with the objective. Each construction conveys a slightly different meaning and is used in specific contexts. Let’s explore each construction:
Objective with Infinitive in Passive Voice:
In this construction, wish is followed by an object (noun or pronoun) in the objective case and the infinitive form of the verb in the passive voice. This form is used to express a desire for something to be different or to express regrets about a situation that cannot be changed.
Structure: wish + object (noun/pronoun) + to be + past participle (in passive voice)
Examples: I wish him to be invited to the party. (This means I desire that he is invited to the party, indicating a desire for him to receive an invitation.)
She wants the issue to be resolved soon. (This means She desires that the issue is resolved soon, expressing her wish for the issue to be resolved.)
Past Participle with Objective:
In this construction, wish is followed by an object (noun or pronoun) in the objective case and the past participle of the verb. This form is used to express regrets about a past action or state that cannot be changed.
Structure: wish + object (noun/pronoun) + past participle
Examples: He wishes he hadn’t said that to her. (This means He regrets that he said that to her, expressing his remorse about a past action.)
They wish they had bought the tickets earlier. (This means They regret that they didn’t buy the tickets earlier, expressing their regret about a past decision.)
Summary: Both constructions can be used with wish to express desires or regrets, but they have different nuances:
Past Participle construction with the verb to have:
After the verb to have, the objective with the past participle construction is often used. This construction is commonly referred to as the causative have or active causative. It is used to describe a situation where someone arranges for something to be done for them or someone else. In this construction, the subject has someone else perform an action on their behalf.
Structure: subject + have + object (noun/pronoun) + past participle
Examples: She had her car repaired yesterday.
(This means She arranged for someone else to repair her car.)
They had their house painted by a professional.
(This means They arranged for a professional to paint their house.)
He had his hair cut at the salon.
(This means He arranged for the salon staff to cut his hair.)
We had the documents signed by a lawyer.
(This means We arranged for a lawyer to sign the documents.)
In each of these examples, the subject is causing or arranging for the action indicated by the past participle (e.g., repaired, painted, cut, signed) to be done to the object (e.g., her car, their house, his hair, the documents).
It’s important to note that have can also be used in a different sense to indicate possession (e.g., She has a car), but when it is followed by an object and a past participle, it takes on the causative meaning as described above.
Nominative absolute participle construction:
In modern English, this construction is not as commonly used but it still appears occasionally.
Time: The sun having risen…
The participle having risen functions as an adjective modifying the sun. The construction provides additional information about the timing of the main action or the state of affairs expressed in the main clause.
For example: The sun having risen, we started our journey. (When the sun had risen, we started our journey.)
Reason: The teacher being ill…
The participle being ill serves as an adjective describing the teacher. This construction indicates the reason or cause behind the main action or situation.
For example: The class was canceled, the teacher being ill.
(The class was canceled because the teacher was ill.)
Adverbial Modifiers Coming at the End:
The wool was placed in the warehouse, the cotton being forwarded in the factory.
In this example, the cotton being forwarded in the factory is the nominative absolute participle construction. The participle being forwarded functions as an adjective modifying the cotton. The construction provides additional information about the circumstances or manner in which the main action (placing the wool in the warehouse) takes place.
For example: The wool was placed in the warehouse, the cotton being forwarded in the factory without delay.
(The wool was placed in the warehouse, and at the same time, the cotton was forwarded in the factory without delay.)
While the nominative absolute participle construction is not as prevalent in modern English, it is still grammatically correct and can be used to add descriptive details to a sentence, provide temporal context, indicate reasons or conditions, or offer additional information about actions or events.
Absolute participle phrase:
The participle expresses the action of the subject, and it creates a different grammatical construction called an absolute participle phrase. In this construction, the participle phrase is used to describe the subject and the action it performs. Let’s break down the example:
Knowing English well, my brother was able to pass his exam.
In this sentence, Knowing English well is the absolute participle phrase. It consists of the present participle knowing and its object English, and it functions as an adjective phrase that modifies my brother. The participle knowing expresses the action of the subject (my brother) and provides additional information about him.
Note: The absolute participle phrase construction is relatively less common in modern English and is more typical of literary or formal writing styles. It is important to use this construction judiciously to maintain clarity in your writing. When used appropriately, however, it can add elegance and sophistication to your sentences.
The Participle-Non-Finite form of the Verbs
Subject-Verb Agreement in English
The Gerund-Non-Finite form of the Verbs
The Infinitive-Non-Finite form of the Verbs