The participle

PARTICIPLE I AS ATTRIBUTE

1. 
   Only Non-Perfect Active and Passive participles are used in the function of an attribute though Non-Perfect Passive participles are seldom used in this function.
   

e.g. The garden surrounding the house was new and well-kept.
The children being read to did not pay attention to the new-comer.

2. 
   Participle in the function of an attribute can be used either
   

• 
  before the nouns they modify - pre-modifying attributes
  

e.g. The laughing sailors went along the street leading to the port.

• 
  or after the noun they modify - post-modifying attributes.
  

Which of the four men smoking by the fireplace is Ben?
3. Only Non-Perfect Active participle is used as pre-modifying attributes,
e.g. There is an old belief that one cannot look long at sleeping children.
The twinkling stars were looking down at Lesley the way they had been looking down for millions of years.
4. Both Non-Perfect Active and Passive participles are used as post-modifying attributes. They usually have one or several accompanying words.
E.g. Elisa sat down in the armchair facing the window.
Stuart hurriedly went down the street leading to the harbour.
The student, being tested now, is likely to get the highest mark.

5. 
   Participle I in the function of an attribute does not express priority. Instead an attributive clause is used. Compare:
   

Simultaneous action	Prior action
Питер обратился к женщине, стоявшей перед домом. = Peter addressed the woman standing in front of the house. Преподаватель разговаривает со студентами, рассказывающими ему о своих впечатлениях о педагогической практике. = The teacher is speaking to the students telling him about their impressions of the teaching practice.	Женщина, стоявшая перед домом, вошла внутрь и закрыла за собой дверь. = The woman who had stood (who had been standing) in front of the house, got inside and closed the door behind her. Преподаватель разговаривал со студентами, вернувшимися недавно с педагогической практики в школе. = The teacher was speaking to the students who had recently come back from their teaching practice at school.