Lecture 1 Fundamentals of grammar

Participle
The participle is a term applied to adjectival forms of verbs. There are two
types of participle: the present participle and the past participle.
Participle I
The present participle is the non-finite form of the verb which combines the
properties of the verb with those of the adjective and adverb, serving as the
qualifying-processual name. In its outer form the present participle is wholly
homonymous with the gerund, ending in the suffix -ing and distinguishing the
same grammatical categories of temporal correlation and voice. Both forms denote
a process – the present participle (or the past participle) denotes a qualifying
process while the gerund denotes a substantival process.
The term present participle may be misleading since the participle does not
express tense distinctions. It is a traditional term, originally applied to adjectival
forms of verbs in Ancient Greece which were inflected for tense, aspect, and case.
It was borrowed from Greek grammar through Latin grammar and uncritically
applied to English verbal forms which had an adjective-like use. As to its temporal
meaning, the present participle expresses a process simultaneous with or prior to
the process of the finite verb: it may denote present, past, and future.
Verbal features. Both the present participle and the gerund distinguish the
same grammatical categories of voice and temporal correlation:
writing (non-perfect, non-passive) – being written (non-perfect, passive)
having written (perfect, non-passive) – having been written (perfect, passive)
walking (non-perfect, non-passive) – having walked (perfect, non-passive)
Like the verb, it combines with the object, the adverbial modifier; like the
verb, it participates in the formation of the verbal predicate.
The present participle, similar to the infinitive, can build up semi-predicative
complexes of objective and subjective types. The two groups of complexes, i.e.
infinitival and present participial, may exist in parallel (e.g. when used with some
verbs of physical perceptions), the difference between them lying in the aspective
presentation of the process. Cf.:
Nobody noticed the scouts approach the enemy trench. —
Nobody noticed the scouts approaching the enemy trench with slow,
cautious, expertly calculated movements.
Suddenly a telephone was heard to buzz, breaking the spell. —
The telephone was heard vainly buzzing in the study.
A peculiar use of the present participle is seen in the absolute participial
constructions of various types, forming complexes of detached semi-predication.
Cf.:
The message being written, I clicked “Send”.
Jane was watching TV, the kids sleeping in the adjoining room.
These complexes of descriptive and narrative stylistic nature seem to be
gaining ground in present-day English.
Adjectival properties. Like the adjective, the present participle can be used
as an attribute – generally as a postposed attribute, e.g. The man talking to John is
my boss.