The Functions of the Participle in the Sentence

The Participlecan be used in different syntactic functions. A simple participle occurs but seldom: in most cases we find a complex participle or a participial phrase, i.e. a participle with one or several accompanying words. Besides it can be used as part of a predicative construction.

· Let sleeping dogs lie. (a simple participle) · He drank his coffee standing. · There are some other people waiting for you. (a participial phrase) · We found him working in the garden. (part of a predicative construction)

The Participle can be used in a sentence asan attributeandan adverbial modifier of time, of reason (cause), of mannerandattendant circumstances, of condition, of comparison, of concessionand as a parenthesis. The Participle can also be used as a predicativeand as part of a predicative construction.

The Participle as a predicative

In the function of a predicative the so called participle adjectives are used. Although keeping the form of the participle, they are treated as an adjective, or a deverbal adjective. Participle I in this function gives the qualitative characterization to the person or thing used as subject (or object, in the case of the objective predicative). Participle II in this function denotes a state.

2.1.

We use adjectives derived from Participle I (Present Participles) e.g. surprising to describe the source or cause of an action or feeling.

· The news was surprising. · I find the story amusing.

2.2.

We use adjectives derived from Participle II (Past Participles) e.g.surprised to describe the one(s) affected by the action or feeling.

· My parents were surprised. · Why is she getting so amused?

2.3.

Participles as predicativefollow the link verb to be as a rule. Participle I, however, may be used with other link verbs, in which case it may keep its verbal character.

· Isadoraremained standing.

Participle I as part of a compound verbal predicate

Non-perfect Participle I can be part of a compound verbal predicate of double orientation. The predicate of double orientation consists of two parts: the first is oriented on somebody implied, and the second refers semantically to the doer of the action expressed by the subject. Within this type of predicate Participle I follows verbs of sense perception, such as see, hear, feel, find, catch, also some causative verbs, such as keep, leave in the Passive Voice.

· Jane was heard playing the piano. · The boy was caught teasing the cat. · I was kept waiting an hour or so. · I was left standing on the stage.

Here are some examples illustrating the use of the Participle in other syntactic functions.

· The fence surroundingthe gardenis newly painted. (attribute) · My watch was among the thingstaken. · There was a branch railway line being laid out to a new settlement which interested its residents greatly. · Seeing him on the other side of the street, I called him. (adverbial modifier of time) · Having sent the invitation, I felt a sense of relief. · When heated, metals expand. · Being an orphan at six, he was brought up by a distant relative. (adverbial modifier of reason) · Being of a more slender figure than Mr. Jarndyce, and havinga richer complexion, Mr. Skimpole looked younger. (Dickens) · I wrote him a friendly letter, thanking him for his help. (adverbial modifier of manner and attendant circumstances) · Gwendolen was silent, again looking at her hands.(Eliot) · If sent immediately, the telegram will certainly be delivered by eight o’clock. (adverbial modifier of condition) · It was a dreadful thing that he now proposed, a breach of the law which, if discovered, would bring them into the police court. · She paced up and down the room restlessly as if trying to make some decision. (adverbial modifier of comparison) · As if torn with inner conflict and indecision, he cried. (Galsworthy). · Though astonished by her interest in the details of the accident, I went on with my story. ( adverbial modifier of concession) · ... her spirit, though crushed, was not broken. (A. Bronte) · Roughly speaking the number of birds on this island exceeds one million. (parenthesis) • Granting it to be true I didn’t object to his coming there. · I am pleased with the result. (a predicative) · The play was really boring. · Paul was found sitting in the armchair and smoking a pipe. (part of a compound verbal predicate)

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