SYNTACTICAL FUNCTIONS OF THE PRESENT PARTICIPLE

The Present Participle as Attribute.

The present participle can be used like an adjective, to say more about people or things.

The present participle may stand before the nouns it modifies:

Boiling water turns to steam.

The team was welcomed by cheering crowds.

The present participle may follow the nouns or pronouns it modifies:

Anybody touching that wire will get an electric shock.

I like the girl sitting on the right.

When a participle is put before a noun, it often denotes some more permanent characteristic. When a participle is put after a noun, the speaker focuses more on the action.

Compare:

I’ll never get married – I don’t want to spend my life surrounded by dirty washing and screaming children. (NOT: *… by dirty washing and children screaming.)

The child screaming in the next room is Jane’s son. (NOT: *The screaming child in the next room …)

In the function of an attribute, the present participle can be detached or non-detached. A detached participle is set off from the modified noun by a comma (or commas) in writing and a pause (or pauses) in speech.

There are some people coming in here now. (a non-detached participle)

There is a lot of work waiting for me to do. (a non-detached participle)

The wardrobe was empty, except for one dress, swinging on a hanger. (a detached participle)

NOTES:

1.Only non-perfect forms of the present participle are used as attributes.

When there is a time difference between two actions, an attributive clause is normally used instead of the present participle:

Do you know anybody who has lost a cat? (NOT: *Do you know anyone having lost a cat?)

I want to talk to the person who broke that cup. (NOT: *I want to talk to the person having broken that cup.)

An attributive clause is also preferred for regular actions:

The boy who brings the milk every day has fallen ill. (NOT: *The boy bringing the milk every day has fallen ill.)

2.The participle beingis not used as an attributive. An attributive subordinate clause should be used instead:

Anybody who is outside after ten o’clock will be arrested. (NOT: * Anybody being outside after ten o’clock will be arrested.)

3.There is a difference between the present participle and the gerund used as attributes before nouns.

Compare: a living man = a man who lives (the participle); a burning house = a house that is burning (the participle).

But: writing paper = paper for writing (the gerund); a dancing hall = a hall for dancing (the gerund)

Exercise 1. Rewrite the sentences using participles as attributes:

1.The boy who is standing by the door is my brother. 2.The man who is walking towards us is a relative of mine. 3.The man who lives upstairs is very noisy. 4.The girl who is wearing the black dress is Sarah. 5.The woman who is waving at me is my aunt.

Exercise 2. Complete the sentences using participles as attributes:

1.He came up to the child .... 2.The room was crowded with students ... 3.There were people .... 4.He caught sight of a girl... 5.We received a telegram ... 6.Don't be very noisy, you'll wake up the child....

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 1247