SOME TIPS ON USING PRESENT PARTICIPLES

The Present participle is used as an adjective to describe people, things or things that
create emotions.
He told us an amusing story.
The game was really exciting.
George has become very boring.
- After catch, find, leave + object: catch / find / leave + object + V-ing:
I caught them stealing my apples.
Don’t leave her waiting outside in the rain
Participle phrase replaces subject + verb in the active form (subject + active verb)
when:
+ Two actions with the same subject happening at the same time → the latter action is
expressed by the present participle.
EX1: We had to stand in a queue. We waited for the bank open.
→ We had to stand in a queue waiting for the bank open.
EX2: He walked along. He whistled a happy tune as he walked.
→ He waits along whistling a happy tune.
+ Two actions with the same subject happening consecutively → the action that
happened first can be expressed by the present participle.
EX1: Mike opened the bottle and then poured milk into his glass.
→ Opening the bottle, Mike poured milk into his glass.
EX2: We took off our shoes and crept along the passage.
→ Taking off our shoes we crept along the passage.
- The present participle is used in participle phrases instead of adverbial clauses of
reason or cause.
EX 1: The fans queued for hours because they hoped to get tickets.
→ The fans queued for hours, hoping to get tickets.
EX 2: As Natasha is the youngest child, she was her father’s favorite.
→ Being the youngest child, Natasha was her father’s favorite.
- The present participle is used in participle phrases instead of adverbial clauses of
time
EX1: While I was walking along the street, I saw an accident.
→ Walking along the street I saw an accident.
EX2: After he had put down his newspaper, he walked over the window.
→ Putting down his newspaper, he walked over to the window.

The present participle is used in participle phrases instead of an indefinite relative
clause in the active form (relative pronoun + active verb).
EX 1: Do you know the woman who is talking to John?
→ Do you know the woman talking to John? .
EX 2: A lorry which was carrying concrete pipes has overturned.
→ A lorry carrying concrete pipes has overturned.
The road that joins the two villages is very narrow.
→ The road joining the two villages is very narrow.
Note: We do not use a participle phrase instead of a relative clause to refer to a simple
past action.
Ex: The police wanted to interview people who saw the accident. (The police want to
question those who witnessed the accident.) [NOT people-seeing the accident]