2015-08-21
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The participle must relate to the subject of both verbs Reading my newspaper, I heard the doorbell ring (=/ was reading my newspaper and / heard the doorbell ring) Now compare "Reading my newspaper, the doorbell rang * This sentence suggests that the doorbell is the subject and it was reading my newspaper Reading is here called an 'unrelated participle' and the sentence is unacceptable However, this rule does not apply to a number of fixed phrases using 'unrelated participles', e g broadly/ generally/strictly speaking considering judging supposing taking everything into account
The complex sentence participle constructions
Strictly speaking, you ought to sign the visitors book before
entering the club (you are not strictly speaking)
Judging from past performances he is not likely to do very well in
his exams (he is not judging) When the participle construction follows the object it must be related to the ob|ect and then the sentence is acceptable
/ found him lying on the floor (= He was lying on the floor)
Past participle constructions in place of clauses
Past participle constructions are more likely to occur in formal and literary style than in conversation
Past participle constructions in place of the passive
The past participle can be used without any conjunction in front of it in place of the passive
When it was viewed from a distance the island of Nepenthe
looked like a cloud
Viewed from a distance the island of Nepenthe looked like a cloud
Past participle constructions in place of adverbial clauses
The past participle can also be used with a conjunction in front of it to
replace a passive
Although it was built before the war the engine is still in perfect
order
Although built before the war the engine is still in perfect order
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If you are accepted for this post you will be informed by May I st
If accepted for this post you will be informed by May 1st
Unless it is changed this law will make life difficult for farmers
Unless changed this law will make life difficult for farmers
After before since on and in cannot be followed directly by a past participle they require being + past participle
After/When we were informed the flight would be delayed we
made other arrangements
After/On being informed the flight would be delayed we made
other arrangements
