Lesson11. The complex sentence: present participle constructions

The present participle in place of relative clauses

• 1) We can sometimes omit who or which + is/are when we use the present progressive.
• Instead of: The man who is serving at the counter is very helpful.
• We can say: The man serving at the counter is very helpful.
• Instead of: The new law applies to vehicles which are carrying heavy loads.
• We can say: The new law applies to vehicles carrying heavy loads.

 

 

 

• 2) We can sometimes use -ing in place of who or which + simple present:
• Instead of: This job will suit students who want to work during the holidays.
• We can say: This job will suit students wanting to work during the holidays.

 

 Circle the words you can delete and/or change to use -ing.

• 1) The plane which is flying overhead is travelling north.
• 2) The candidates who are sitting for this examination are all graduates.
• 3) The woman who is waiting to see you has applied for a job here.
• 4) What can you do about a dog which is barking all night?
• 5) Trains which leave from this station take an hour to get to London.
• 6) Customers who complain about the service should see the manager.
• 7) Passengers who travel on planes shouldn't smoke.
• 8) There's a pension scheme for people who work for this company.
• 9) There's a crime prevention scheme for people who are living in this neighbourhood.
• 10) There's someone who is knocking at the door.

 

Homework: Use the -ing form of the verbs in brackets and put in after, as, when and who.

THE CASE OF THE POISONED MUSHROOMS

• While (prepare) preparing a meal for her guests, Mrs Grant got rather worried about some unusual mushrooms which a kind friend had sent her from the country. (Feel) ...................s suspicious, she gave a mushroom to her dog. ...................the dog ate it with no ill effects, Mrs Grant decided to cook the mushrooms for her guests. That evening the guests greatly enjoyed the mushrooms, (comment) ................... on their unusual flavour. They quickly changed their minds................... Mrs Grant's daughter, Jill, burst into the dining-room and announced that the dog was dead. On (hear) ..................the news, Mrs Grant, now in a state of shock, phoned Dr Craig, ..................came round immediately and pumped out the stomachs of all those who had eaten the mushrooms - a very unpleasant experience for them. ................... Dr Craig asked if he could see the dog, he was led out of the house. He soon discovered that the dog had been killed by a passing car. Not (know) .................anything of her mother's suspicions about the mushrooms, Jill hadn't mentioned this important fact when (announce)................... the death of the dog.
•