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English grammar

Participle clauses: two ideas in one sentence

B2 · Upper intermediate Building the sentence Questions 10

The rule

A participle clause compresses a second clause into a phrase. Having read the report, I withdrew my objection replaces After I had read the report…. The -ing form is active and the -ed form passive: Written in 1890, the letter is barely legible. Having been told twice, he still did it combines both. The one hard rule is that the subject of the participle must be the subject of the main clause; break it and you get the dangling participle, which is either confusing or funny and never what you meant.

Pattern

-ing (active) · having + past participle (earlier, active) · past participle (passive) · having been + past participle (earlier, passive)

Examples

  1. Having waited two hours, we gave up and went home.

  2. Built in the 1960s, the block has no insulation at all.

  3. Not knowing the area, I took the long way round.

  4. Having been refused twice, she wrote to the ombudsman.

Common mistakes

  • Wrong: Walking down the street, the shop was closed.

    Right: Walking down the street, I found the shop closed.

    The shop was not walking; the subject of the participle must be the subject of the main clause.

  • Wrong: Having wrote the letter, she posted it.

    Right: Having written the letter, she posted it.

    having takes the past participle.

  • Wrong: Being built in 1960, the block has no lift.

    Right: Built in 1960, the block has no lift.

    For a past passive state, the bare participle is enough.

Practice questions

Try each one yourself first, then open “Show answer” for the solution and the reason.

  1. 1Choose the correct sentence.

    1. Having checking the figures, I signed the form.
    2. Having checked the figures, I signed the form.
    3. Have checked the figures, I signed the form.
    4. Having check the figures, I signed the form.
    Show answer

    Answer: B Having checked the figures, I signed the form.

    having plus past participle.

  2. 2Choose the correct sentence.

    1. Being damage in the storm, the fence had to be replaced.
    2. Having damaged in the storm, the fence had to be replaced.
    3. Damaged in the storm, the fence had to be replaced.
    4. Damaging in the storm, the fence had to be replaced.
    Show answer

    Answer: C Damaged in the storm, the fence had to be replaced.

    The passive participle describes what happened to the subject.

  3. 3Choose the correct sentence.

    1. Having not received a reply, we wrote again.
    2. Do not having received a reply, we wrote again.
    3. Not having received a reply, we wrote again.
    4. Not receiving a reply, we have written again yesterday.
    Show answer

    Answer: C Not having received a reply, we wrote again.

    The negative goes in front of having.

  4. 4Fill in the gap.

    _____ in 1890, the school is the oldest in the town.

    1. Founding
    2. Founded
    3. Being founding
    4. Having founded
    Show answer

    Answer: B Founded in 1890, the school is the oldest in the town.

    A passive participle for a past event.

  5. 5Fill in the gap.

    _____ the file, she noticed two pages were missing.

    1. Having opened by
    2. Opened
    3. Opening
    4. Being opened
    Show answer

    Answer: C Opening the file, she noticed two pages were missing.

    The -ing form for the subject’s own action.

  6. 6Fill in the gap.

    _____ told three times, he still parked there.

    1. Having been
    2. Having
    3. Being have
    4. Have been
    Show answer

    Answer: A Having been told three times, he still parked there.

    Earlier and passive: having been + participle.

  7. 7Fill in the gap.

    _____ what to do, I rang the helpline.

    1. Do not know
    2. Not to know
    3. Knowing not
    4. Not knowing
    Show answer

    Answer: D Not knowing what to do, I rang the helpline.

    A negative -ing clause gives the reason.

  8. 8Fill in the gap.

    The report, _____ last March, is already out of date.

    1. written
    2. writing
    3. having written
    4. write
    Show answer

    Answer: A The report, written last March, is already out of date.

    A reduced passive relative clause.

  9. 9This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Which sentence is wrong?

    1. Having eaten, we cleared the plates.
    2. The plates were cleared after we had eaten.
    3. Having eaten, the plates were cleared.
    4. Once we had eaten, the plates were cleared.
    Show answer

    Answer: C Having eaten, the plates were cleared.

    The plates did not eat.

  10. 10This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Which sentence is wrong?

    1. Because it was built in 1970, they knocked it down.
    2. Built in 1970, it was knocked down.
    3. Being built in 1970, they knocked it down.
    4. The block, built in 1970, was knocked down.
    Show answer

    Answer: C Being built in 1970, they knocked it down.

    The subject of the participle is not they.

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