Welcome to the World of Participles!
In this chapter, we are going to learn a super cool "writing shortcut." Have you ever felt that your sentences are getting too long and repetitive because of words like "who is," "which are," or "that was"?
Participles are here to save the day! By using participles in relative clauses, you can make your English sound smoother, more professional, and more natural. It’s like learning how to send a text message using emojis instead of long words—it’s faster and everyone understands it!
1. Quick Refresh: What are Participles?
Before we dive into the "shortcut," let’s remember what participles are. Don’t worry if you’ve forgotten; here is a simple way to remember them:
Present Participles: These always end in -ing (e.g., running, playing, talking). We use these for active actions—when the person or thing is doing the action themselves.
Past Participles: These usually end in -ed (e.g., broken, emitted, finished). We use these for passive actions—when something is being done to the person or thing.
Quick Review:
Active (-ing) = The "Doer"
Passive (-ed) = The "Receiver"
2. The "Shortcut" Rule
Imagine you are describing something. You could say:
"The student who is sitting next to me is my friend."
To use the participle shortcut, we simply remove the relative pronoun (who/which/that) and the "be" verb (is/am/are/was/were).
The Shortcut: "The student sitting next to me is my friend."
See? It’s shorter and sounds much better!
Did you know?
Using participles in this way is actually called "reducing" a relative clause. It’s a favorite trick for authors and journalists to keep their writing exciting!
3. Using Present Participles (-ing)
We use the -ing form when the noun is the one doing the action. This replaces relative clauses that have an active voice.
Step-by-Step Process:
1. Start with a full relative clause: The girl who lives next door.
2. Identify the action: lives.
3. Change the verb to the -ing form and remove the pronoun: The girl living next door.
More Examples:
The man who is shouting is the coach. ➔ The man shouting is the coach.
Anyone who wants to join the club should sign here. ➔ Anyone wanting to join the club should sign here.
Key Takeaway: Use -ing when the subject is performing the action.
4. Using Past Participles (-ed)
We use the -ed (or 3rd form) when the noun is receiving the action. This replaces relative clauses that have a passive voice.
As we see in your Science and Geography texts (Language across the Curriculum), this is very common when describing causes and effects!
Real-World Example (from your syllabus):
"Exhaust fumes which are emitted from diesel vehicles cause air pollution."
The Participle Version:
"Exhaust fumes emitted from diesel vehicles cause air pollution."
More Examples:
The book that was written by JK Rowling is famous. ➔ The book written by JK Rowling is famous.
The windows which were broken in the storm are fixed. ➔ The windows broken in the storm are fixed.
Key Takeaway: Use the past participle when the action is done to the noun.
5. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even though this is a "shortcut," there are a few bumps in the road to watch out for:
The "Who" Trap: Don't forget to remove "who" or "which."
Mistake: The boy who playing football is tall. (Wrong!)
Correct: The boy playing football is tall.
The Voice Mix-up: Don't use -ing for passive things.
Mistake: The car repairing by the mechanic is mine. (This sounds like the car is fixing itself!)
Correct: The car repaired by the mechanic is mine.
6. Summary Checklist
Before you finish your study session, check if you remember these points:
Relative Clause: Contains "who/which/that" + a verb.
Participle Phrase: Removes "who/which/that" and uses a participle instead.
Active Action: Use the Present Participle (-ing).
Passive Action: Use the Past Participle (-ed/3rd form).
Why use it? To make your writing clearer and more advanced!
Don't worry if this seems tricky at first! Try converting one sentence from your favorite storybook today, and you'll be a participle pro in no time!