GERUND and PARTICIPLE

I. GERUND and PRESENT PARTICIPLE (V_ING)

1. GERUND:
 As a subject: Going to the cinema is fun. (= It’s fun to go to the cinema.)
 After prepositions: He’s fond of playing computer games.
 After verbs (like, love, enjoy…): We enjoy learning English.
2. PRESENT PARTICIPLE:
 After verbs of perception (feel, hear, see, watch, smell …): I saw him driving a new car.
 In progressive tenses: They are watching TV at home.
 In reduced clauses: I didn’t feel well, so I didn’t go to school. → Not feeling well, I didn’t go to
school.
II. PERFECT GERUND and PERFECT PARTICIPLE (HAVING V_3/ED)
They are used in the same ways as GERUND and PRESENT PARTICIPLE. However, they
EMPHASIZE
the COMPLETION of an action.
e.g. Jane had not slept for two days and therefore wasn’t able to concentrate.
→Not having slept for two days, Jane wasn’t able to concentrate.
PRACTICE:
I. Rewrite the sentences beginning with an appropriate participle (present or perfect).
1. When Jane saw the dog coming towards her, she quickly crossed the road.
Seeing the dog coming towards her, Jane quickly crossed the road.
2. As I don't have a credit card, I found it difficult to book an airline ticket over the phone.
Not having a ..., I found...

3. Keith spent a lot of time filling in job application forms because he was unemployed.
Being unemployed, Keith spent....

4. Because I was walking quickly, I soon caught up with her.

Walking quickly, I soon ...

5. I was eager to catch the bus in good time because I had been told off the day before for
arriving late.
Having been told off ..., I was eager...

6. She didn't know where the theater was, so she asked for directions at the hotel reception.
Not knowing where ..., she asked for ...

7. As she was a nurse, she knew what to do after the accident.

Being a nurse, she knew what…
 8. He had spent his childhood in Oslo so he knew the city well.
Having spent …, he knew…

9. The fruit was expensive because it was imported.

Being imported, the fruit was…

10. We have spent nearly all our money so we couldn't afford to stay at a hotel.
Having spent..., we couldn’t...

11. As we didn't want to offend him, we said nothing about his paintings.
Not wanting to offend him, we said....

12. Although it has been hunted close to extinction, the rhino is once again common in this area.
Having been hunted close ..., the rhino is ...

13. The criminal removed all traces of his crime and then left the building.
Having removed ..., the criminal left the building.

14. He realized that he had missed the last train. He began to walk.

Realizing that he ..., he began...

15. He was exhausted by his work. He threw himself on his bed.
Being exhausted by ..., he threw ...
16. He had spent all his money. He decided to go home and ask his father for a job.
Having spent ..., he decided...
17. He escaped from prison. He looked for a place where he could get food.
Having escaped ..., he looked for...
18. She didn't want to hear the story again. She had heard it all before.
Having heard ..., she didn’t..
19. They found the money. They began quarreling about how to divide it.
Having found the money, they began....
20. She entered the room suddenly. She found them smoking.
Entering the..., she found...
21. I turned on the light. I was astonished at what I saw.
Turning on the light, I was...

22. We visited the museum. We then decided to have lunch in the park.
Having visited the museum, we decided...

23. He offered to show us the way home. He thought we were lost.

Thinking we were lost, he offered...

 24. He found his revolver. He loaded it. He sat down facing the door.
Having found.., he loaded and

25. She asked me to help her. She realized that she couldn't move it alone.
Realizing that she..., she asked me...

26. He fed the dog. He sat down to his own dinner.

Having fed the dog, he sat ...

27. I knew that he was poor. I offered to pay his fare.

Knowing that he was poor, I offered...

28. We barricaded the windows. We assembled in the hall.

Barricading the .., we assembled...

29. She became tired of my complaints about the program. She turned it off.
Becoming tired of..., she turned it off.

30. He found no one at home. He left the house in a bad temper.

Finding no one..., he left the...

II. Choose the correct answer.

1. for twelve hours, I felt marvelous.
a. Having slept b. have slept
c. Having been slept d. have been slept
2. By the time their baby arrives, the Johnson hope painting and decorating the new nursery.
a. having finished b. to have finished
c. having been finished d. to have been finished
3. She's angry about to the farewell party last night.
a. not having invited b. not to have invited
c. not having been invited d. not to have been invited
4. We decided not to travel, the terrible weather forecast.
a. having heard b. to have heard
c. having been heard d. to have been heard
5. I'd love to the party, but it was impossible.
a. having gone b. to have gone
b. having been gone d. to have been gone
6. I don't recall him at the conference.
a. having seen b. to have seen c. having been seen d. to have been seen
7. in dark colors, the room needed some bright lights.
a. Having painted b. To have painted
c. Having been painted d. To have been painted
8. The stockbroker denied of the secret business deal.
a. having informed b. to have informed
c. having been informed d. to have been informed
9. They now regret their son by providing too many material possessions.
a. having spoiled b. to have spoiled
c. having been spoiled d. to have been spoiled
10. to the party, we could hardly refuse to go.
a. Having invited b. To have invited
c. Having been invited d. To have been invited
III. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

1. The missing children were last seen playing(play) near the river.

2. Having completed(complete) the book, he had a holiday.

3. found(find) only in the Andes, the plant is used by local people to treat skin
diseases.

4. The accident seems to have happened(happen) at around 1.00 p.m. yesterday.

5. Do something! Don't just sit there twiddling(twiddle) your thumbs.

6. Last year I studied abroad. I appreciate having had( have) the

opportunity to live and study in a foreign country.

7. looking(look) down from the hill, the town spread out before us towards the
coast.

8. Marta doesn't like to have her picture _taken (take). She avoids being photographed
(photograph).

9. I don't agree with smacking(smack) children if they do something wrong.

10. The book (published) last week is his first novel.

11. Having (photocopy) all the papers, Sarah put them back in the file.

12. Walking on the street, I found a coin on the sidewalk.

13. Our mechanic expects to have fxed(fix) the brake on the car before we pick it up.

14. Having lived(live) near busy airports for years, he is used to noise.

15. Having parked(park) the car about a kilometre from the stadium, I walked the
rest of the way.