English has two participle forms - the so called "present" and "past" participles. However, as we will see below, these names are misleading and the forms actually have no connection with tense or time.
1. The "present" participle
a) Form : the base form of the verb plus -ing : go, going. Spelling changes may occur : a verb ending in a consonant plus "e" in the written form will drop the "e" in the participle form (make, making; arrive, arriving) while a verb ending with a short vowel plus consonant sound will double the consonant before -ing : shut, shutting; skim, skimming.
b) Use : The "present" participle has three main uses :
i) It is used, together with the auxiliary verb BE, in verb forms with progressive aspect : She is going / she was going / she has been going etc. Notice that there is nothing "present" about it. The verb form expresses whatever time is indicated by the form of the verb BE.
ii) It can be used to introduce a subordinate clause :
Walking down the road, John saw a house for sale.
Nestling on the cliffs, the hotel has a perfect view of the sea.
Again, notice that there is nothing "present" involved in the verb. it is non-finite (ie it has no subject and is not marked for tense, person number etc) and it is only by reference to the verb in the main clause that we become aware what the subject is, and what the time of the event is - and this (as in the first example) may be any time - not necessarily "present".
iii) It can be used as an adjective : hot, running water; an interesting book. Again, the concept of "present" makes no sense here.
2. The "past" participle
a) Form : The "past" participle may be regular or irregular. The regular form adds -ed to the base form of the verb ( eg play- played) though this is again subject to spelling changes : a verb ending in consonant plus "y" in the written form will change the "y" to "i" - study-studied; while, again, a verb ending with a short vowel plus consonant sound will double the consonant before the -ed (eg: knit - knitted). Irregular forms include eg show - shown; run-run; build-built
b) Use: The past participle can be used...
i) ... together with the auxiliary verb HAVE to form verbs with perfect aspect: I've seen; I'd known
ii) together with the auxiliary verb BE to form verbs in the passive voice : It is located; It was expected.
iii) as with the present participle, to introduce a subordinate clause :
Located on the cliff, the hotel has a perfect view of the sea.
Written by a specialist in the field, the book sold out on its first day.
iv) as an adjective : a broken promise; a used car.
v) after a causative verb (have/get) - eg I need to get my hair cut next week; We had the car repaired yesterday.
Again, notice that the participle used as a verb is always non-finite and in none of these uses is there any necessary connection with the past - this is made apparent by the finite verbs in the sentence and the context. For example, we understand that the hotel is located on the cliffs - ie the participle describes a present situation.
3. The Gerund (or Gerundive)
To make the terminology confusion worse, the V+ing form is given another name for a further use : it may be used as a noun and is then known as the gerund. For example :
i) Swimming is Janet's main hobby (used as subject of the verb)
ii) I like reading (used as object of the verb)
Notice that in these positions, as it is acting as subject or object, it could be replaced by a noun or pronoun :
i) Football / It is Janet's main hobby.
ii) I like dogs / them.
Again, notice that the participle used as a verb is always non-finite and in none of these uses is there any necessary connection with the past - this is made apparent by the finite verbs in the sentence and the context. For example, we understand that the hotel is located on the cliffs - ie the participle describes a present situation.
3. The Gerund (or Gerundive)
To make the terminology confusion worse, the V+ing form is given another name for a further use : it may be used as a noun and is then known as the gerund. For example :
i) Swimming is Janet's main hobby (used as subject of the verb)
ii) I like reading (used as object of the verb)
Notice that in these positions, as it is acting as subject or object, it could be replaced by a noun or pronoun :
i) Football / It is Janet's main hobby.
ii) I like dogs / them.
You can always check your understanding of whether the -ing form is a present participle or gerund by applying this test - ie could the word be replaced by a noun phrase in the sentence. If so, it's a gerund. if not, it's a present participle,
For a further critique of the "standard" definition...
1. a) broken = irregular past participle of the verb break used as adjective; b) mended = regular past participle of the verb mend used after causative verb get.
- Thornbury, S. G is for Gerund
For some great teaching ideas...
Test Yourself...
- Gerngross, Puchta and Thornbury, Teaching Grammar Creatively, CUP
Identify the form and use of the italicised words in the following sentences.
1. We need to get that broken window mended.
2. The window was broken by some children playing cricket.
3. She sat by the fire, humming to herself.
4. Working from home is much easier than going into the office every day.
5. I'd forgotten all about that.
6. He's quite a well-known author, and a leading expert in his field.
Scroll down for the answers.
1. a) broken = irregular past participle of the verb break used as adjective; b) mended = regular past participle of the verb mend used after causative verb get.
2. a) broken = irregular past participle of the verb break used as main verb in a present passive verb phrase; b) playing = present participle of the verb play used in a reduced relative clause - ie one where both the relative pronoun and the verb BE have been ellipted (omitted): ...some children who were playing cricket.
3. humming = present participle, part of ellipted past continuous form, used as a subordinate clause in which the subject and verb BE have been ellipted: She sat by the fire; she was humming to herself. The final consonant m in the base verb hum is doubled as preceded by a short vowel.
4. a) Working = gerund, part of the subject of the clause (Working from home); b) going = gerund, complement of the preposition than. Both are regular forms of their base verb (work/go).
5. forgotten = irregular past participle of the verb forget used as main verb in a past perfect simple structure.
6. a) known = irregular past participle of the verb know. Used as second part of a compound adjective premodifying the noun author; b) leading = present participle of the verb lead used as adjective premodifying the noun expert.
