Another use for participles

Present Tense

is

The job was complete;

will be

T he job being complete is

payment was due.

is will be

The job was finished;

will be

The job being finished,

Past Tense

has been

The job had been complete for months;

T he job having been complete for months, is

payment overdue.

has been was

The job finished for months;

had been

The job having been finished for months,

Exercise 1.

Example: The meeting was over. We broke for lunch.

The meeting being over, we broke for lunch.

1. Everything was packed. We were ready to go.

2. An agreement had been reached. They started to write up a contract.

3. Hospital bills are costly. Most people are covered by medical insurance.

4. The cost of living has risen. Workers are requesting a wage increase.

Present Participle (Passive)

is is

The phone was used very seldom. It was disconnected.

will be will be

is

(Being) used very seldom, the phone was disconnected.

will be

isn't is

The phone wasn't used very often. It was disconnected.

won't be will be

is

(Being) used very seldom, the phone was disconnected.

will be

Exercise 2.

Example: This product is now sold everywhere. It's very much in demand.

Now (being) sold everywhere, this product is very much in demand.

1. English is spoken in many countries; it's a useful language to know.

2. Our corporation is highly centralized; it operates very efficiently.

3. The new benefit plan wasn't approved by the director; it had to be revised.

4. These sweaters are made by hand; they're more expensive than the other brands.

5. Insurance premiums won't be paid by the company; they'll be deducted from the employee's paycheck.

Perfect Participle (Passive)

The car

has had

been washed already. It

is was

very clean.

is

Having been washed already, the car very clean

was

The car

hasn't been hadn't been

washed for weeks. It

is was

very dirty.

is

Not having been washed for weeks, the car very dirty.

was

Exercise 3.

Example: The president had been trained in electronics. He saw the problem immediately.

Having been trained in electronics, the president saw the problem immediately.

1. The plant had been built long ago.; it's now in bad condition.

2. Tom had been seriously injured; he spent a month in a hospital.

3. The problem hadn't been discovered in time; it couldn't be solved before the year-end.

4. This machine hasn't been used in years; it should be replaced by a more modern one.

5. The applicants have been screened by the personnel manager. They were found to have necessary qualifications.