1. What is a present participle clause?

A present participle clause is a dependent clause with a nonfinite present participle verb (v-ing) as its main verb.

2. When and why are present participle clauses used?

1). Present participle clauses function adjectivally as a PNM (post noun modifiers).

• The people {watching the movie} stamped their feet.

V-ing clause: PNM

• Do you know the man {driving the red Tesla}?

V-ing clause: PNM

2). Present participle clauses function as DO of transitive verbs

• I like {watching the traffic go by}.

V-ing clause: DO (VCC)

3). Present participles clause function as adverbials:

• 3a) {Running for the bus}, he broke his foot.

Nonfinite present participle/V-ing clause: Advl. (of time)

• 3b) {While he was running for the bus}, he broke his foot. *

Finite DC: Advl.(of time)

If you compare the two sentences above, you'll find 3b) shorter and crisp while still providing background reason for the main clause 'he broke his foot'.

• {Looking at the plans}, I gradually came to see where the problem lays.

V-ing clause: Advl.(of condition)

• By 1973, The Stooges, {though having already recorded their three groundbreaking albums,} were quite literally falling apart.

V-ing clause: no tense, perfect aspect (recording -> having recorded): Advl. (of concession)

3. Application: Dangling Modifiers in Writing

In the sentences above, the subject of the DC can be omitted only when it is the same as that of the main clause. Otherwise, you'll be creating a sentence with a dangling modifier.

For example:

• {Having repaired his fishing rod}, the fish tugged on Bill's line.*

The subject of the DC is Bill, whereas the subject of the main clause is 'the fish'. For this reason, this sentence is incorrect. The correct sentence could be:

• {Having repaired his fishing rod}, Bill began to try his luck. (*'Bill' as the subject for the DC and IC)

• {Having made sure that there is no hook attached to the worm}, the fish tugged on Bill's line. (*'The fish' as the subject for the DC and IC)

1. Ex. 12.6, 12.7 (p. 376, 382) (optional)