Friday, 1 April 2016

The complex sentence: perfect/past participle constructions


'Being' and 'having been'

   1)      We sometimes use being in place of is, are, was or were, though this is often formal:
Instead of: I was lost, so I had to ask someone the way.
We can say: Being lost, I had to ask someone the way.
   2)       We sometimes use having been in place of have been or had been (also formal):
Instead of: I've been abroad, so I missed the elections.
We can say: Having been abroad, I missed the elections.



Write: Rewrite these sentences using being or having been.

   1)      I am out of work, so I spend a lot of my time at home.
…Being out of work, I spend a lot of my time at home.
   2)      John is a scientist, so he hasn't read a lot of novels.
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   3)      He has been promised a reward, so he hopes he'll get one.
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   4)      I was near a newsagent's, so I went in and got a paper.
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   5)      They had been up all night, so they were in no mood for jokes.
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'It being' and 'there being'
   1)      We sometimes use it being in place of it is or it was (formal):
Instead of: It was Sunday so it was hard to find a garage open.
We can say: It being Sunday, it was hard to find a garage open.
   2)       We sometimes use there being in place of there is or there was (formal):
Instead of: There was so much noise, I couldn't hear what was going on.
We can say: There being so much nose, I couldn't hear what was going on.
   3)       We can use it being and there being after without (formal):
They often dig up the roads without it being necessary. (= it isn't necessary)
She suddenly began shouting without there being any reason. (= there was no reason).



Write: Rewrite these sentences using it being or there being, making any necessary changes.

   1)      There were no questions so the meeting ended quickly.
   2)      …..There being no questions, the meeting ended quickly.
   3)      He kept helping himself to money and it wasn't noticed. (without it ...)
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   4)      He kept asking awkward questions and there was no reason for it. (without there ...)
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   5)      It was a holiday, so there were thousands of cars on the roads.
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   6)      There was no one in, so I left a message.
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Agreement between present participle and subject

We have to be very careful to make participle agree with the subject of both verbs:
Turning the corner, I saw a tile fall off the roof. (= I turned…and saw…)
If we say or write *Turning the corner, the tile fell off the roof*, this means ‘the tile was turning the corner and then fell off the roof’. The sentence is nonsense.


Past participle constructions

   1)      The past participle is the third part of a verb :
play - played - played (regular verbs); build - built - built (irregular verbs)

   2)      We sometimes use the past participle instead of the passive:
Viewed from a distance, it resembled a cloud. (When it was viewed ...)
Although built years ago, it was in good order. (Although it was built .. .)
If accepted for the job, you will be informed soon. (If you are accepted ...)

   3)      We can omit who and which: The system used here is very successful. (which is used...)



Write: Rewrite these sentences using past participles.

   1)      The painting was lost for many years. It turned up at an auction.
…..Lost for many years, the painting turned up at an auction.
   2)      Although the meat was cooked for several hours, it was still tough.
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   3)      If the picture is seen from this angle, it looks rather good.
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   4)      The vegetables which are sold in this shop are grown without chemicals.
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   5)      When the poem is read aloud it is very effective.

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