Syntax- přednášky

Expand the participial phrases into adverbial clauses.

1. Opening up her jewellery box, she found her diamond rings gone.

• After she opened up her jewellery box, she found her diamond rings gone. (AC of time)

1. Believing he was a total failure in everything he did, the man was on the point of suicide.

• Because he believed he was a total failure in everything he did, the man was on the point of suicide. (AC of reason)

1. Driving along an almost deserted country road, they ran out of gas.

• While they were driving along an almost deserted country road, they ran out of gas. (AC of time)

1. Putting on her hat and coat quickly, she ran outside to see what was causing such a commotion.

• After she put on her hat and coat quickly, she ran outside to see what was causing … (AC of time)

1. Not wanting to accept welfare assistance, they often went without food.

• Because they didn’t want to accept welfare assistance, they often went without food. (AC of reason)

Change the adverbial clauses to participial phrases.

1. Because he had been defeated three times in a row, the boxer decided to give up fighting.

• Having been defeated three times in a row, the boxer decided to give up fighting.

1. Because they found no one at home, they left a note saying they had called.

• Finding no one at home, they left a note saying they had called.

1. When they arrived home late at night, they found that the house had been broken into.

• Arriving home late at night, they found that the house had been broken into.

1. While he was backing out of his garage, he hit a dog.

• Backing out of his garage, he hit a dog.

1. Because he was strongly influenced by his young friends, the boy dropped out of school for a while.

• Strongly influenced by his young friends, the boy dropped out of school for a while.

Absolute constructions with participles -

1. The men began to pour out from the factory.

She watched to see which one was her husband

• The men beginning to pour out from the factory, she watched to see which one was her husband.

1. His health was regained.

He was happy to return to work

• His health regained, he was happy to return to work.

1. Their air conditioner was not working properly again.

They decided to buy a new one

• Their air conditioner not working properly again, they decided to buy a new one.

1. The interest rate had been lowered.

More people began to take out loans from the bank.

• The interest rate having been lowered, more people began to take out loans from the bank.

Participles: unattached - dangling

We often reduce the length of our sentences by using participles (-ing or –ed) instead of full verbs. This can,

however, produce some ambiguous meanings, as the participle normally refers to the nearest noun or pronoun.

For example, Driving home last night, a wonderful idea struck me in fact suggests that the wonderful idea was driving home, not me! It should be rewritten: Driving home last night, I was struck by a wonderful idea. Or While I was driving home last night, a wonderful idea struck me.