Grammar Practice Exercises [ 28 ] Upper Intermediate

28 - ] Grammar Practice Exercises

Upper intermediate

Participial Constructions .

Present Participial Phrases

1 - ] After verbs

- Verbs of sensation ( see , hear , feel , smell , listen , notice , watch )

I saw her leaving the house very early this morning .

Bare infinitive . I saw her leave the house early this morning .

- catch , find ,leave

I caught him looking through my drawers .

- go , come , spend , waste time , be busy .

Would you like to come skiing with us ?

2 - ] In place of clauses

Participial phrases in place of clauses are quite formal and most often used in written language .

She led him through the crowd holding his hand .

I stayed at home watching television .

Seeing her on the other side of the road , I quickly tried to hide .

She turned on her computer and started work .

Turning on her computer , she started work . He told her not to eat it , explaining that there was a risk of food poisoning .

- In place of clauses of time ( after , before , since , while , on )

After I spoke to you , I felt much better .

After speaking / Having spoken to you , I felt much better .

When I first met him , I didn’t like him .

On first meeting him , I didn’t like him .

- In place of clauses of reason. ( As , Since , Because ,

As I was happy with my results , I decided to go out and celebrate .

Being happy with my results , I decided to go out and celebrate .

He’s lived here all his life , so he knows a lot about the town .

 Having lived here all his life , he knows a lot about the town .

I’d had an argument with him the night before so I didn’t want to see him .

Having had an argument with him the night before , I didn’t want to see him .

- In place of clauses of concession ( although , while )

While fully understanding your problem , I can’t allow you to break the rules .

- In place of defining subject relative clauses .

The woman who lives / is living next door works for a television company .

The woman living next door works for a television company .

Rewrite the sentences using a present participial or perfect participial phrase  

Example

1 . I smelt something . It was burning .

I smelt something burning .

2 . I went round to see her . I was hoping for a reconciliation .

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3 . While he hated the job , he did it for many years .

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4 . She came in . She looked furious .

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5 . I had plenty of time to spare so I had a good look round the town .

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6 . He was wearing only a pair of shorts . He walked out into the darkness .

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7 . I had been out all day so I was quite happy to stay in for the evening .

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8 . The bedrooms that overlook the sea are the best ones in the hotel .

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9 . We’re wasting time . We’re sitting here and doing nothing .

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10 . I have changed my job since I last wrote to you .

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11 . Before I make a decision , I need to discuss it with my partner .

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12 . We had been friends for twenty years and suddenly we had a big argument and haven’t seen each other since .

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13 . I had failed one of my exams so I couldn’t get into university .

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14 . Because he loved her so much , he forgave her for everything .

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15 . I left them . They were doing the washing-up .

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