This document discusses the use of perfect participles to indicate that one action occurred before another. It provides examples of using "having" plus the past participle to express actions that precede other actions. It also contrasts the use of present and past participles in different contexts. Finally, it includes exercises for the reader to identify the correct participle form in various sentences.

2. If we want to make it clear
that an action happens before
another one, we use a perfect
participle for the earlier
action:

3. Having washed the car, I noticed a
small scratch on the front right
fender. (After I washed the car, I
noticed a small scratch on the front
right fender.)

4. If the two actions do not follow each
other immediately, or if the first
action happens over a period of time,
we use a perfect participle instead of
a present participle for the earlier
action:

5. Having seen the film before, I
didn't want to go to the cinema.
Mark knew the town well, having
lived there all his life.
Having prepared for the exams
earlier, I wasn’t so scared.

7. Past participle clauses replace
passive voice finite clauses:
Shocked by the
explosion, the
people ran for
shelter. (The
people were
shocked by the
explosion and ran
for shelter.)

8. If we want to emphasize that an
action happens before another
one, we use a passive perfect
participle:
Having been
nominated 4 times
for Ballon D’or
Award, today he is
the best football
player.

9. Underline the correct participle – past or present
– in these sentences:
1. Caught / catching in the traffic, Sarah knew
she was going to be late for work.
2. Caught / catching the ball, the dog ran off
to chew it quietly under a tree.
3. Made / making soup, Robert accidentally
burnt his hand.
4. Made / making in Japan, the car was on
sale at a very competitive price.
5. Explaining / explained in detail, the
instructions seemed very complicated.
6. Explaining / explained the working of the
new machinery, David kept consulting his notes.
7. Writing / written the letter, she couldn’t help
crying a little.

10. 8. Drinking / drunk in moderation, this
whisky will not do you any harm.
9. Finishing / finished in metallic gold,
the car certainly looked as if it was worth
a lot of money.
10. Looked / looking for his number in the
phone book, Susie was getting more and
more nervous.
11. Looked at / looking at by millions
every year, the ‘Mona Lisa’ is the most
famous painting in the world.
12. Played / playing in a good location, a
street musician can make a lot of money.

11. We switched off the lights before we went to bed.
→ ______________________ we went to bed.
The boy asked his mother's permission and then
went out to play.
→ _______________ the boy went out to play.
As he had drunk too much, he didn't drive home
himself.
→ ___________he didn't drive home himself.
We have written two tests today, so we are very
exhausted.
→_________________we are very exhausted.
She filled the washing machine and switched it
on.
→ _____________________she switched it on.

12. She had been to the disco the night before and
overslept in the morning.
→_____________she overslept in the morning.
We had worked in the garden all day and were
sunburned in the evening.
→ ________we were sunburned in the evening.
She had not slept for two days and therefore wasn't
able to concentrate.
→___________ she wasn't able to concentrate.
Since I had not seen him for ages, I didn't
recognize him.
→___________________ I didn't recognize him.
I had not ridden a horse for a long time and found
it very difficult to keep in the saddle.
→ __________________I found it very difficult
to keep in the saddle.