A question about the "ing" form

Question

Hi everyone,I would appreciate it if you help me with the meaning of this sentence:"She feels a tap on her shoulder as Colette scoots beside her, signaling for the bartender"What does the "ing" form of the verb is the second part of the sentence signify?Thanks in advance.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

The woman, "She," is sitting at the bar drinking. Colette then comes and quickly sits beside her ("She"), tapping her ("She") on the shoulder as she (Colette) sits down. And, at the same time, she (Colette) signals with her hand for the bartender, so she (Colette) can order a drink.

CalifJim · Answer

Spradini"She feels a tap on her shoulder as Colette scoots beside her, signaling for the bartender "What does the "ing" form of the verb is in the second part of the sentence signify?

When you see an -ing form without an auxiliary verb before it (is, was, are, were), you are looking at a participle, which is one of the non-finite forms of a verb. So 'signaling' is a participle because it is not part of a verb phrase like "is signaling". The entire sequence of words signaling for the bartender is called a participle clause, which is one type of non-finite construction.

Most participle clauses inherit their subject from the main clause with which they are associated. In the clause Colette scoots beside her, Colette is the subject, so the implicit subject of the participle clause is Colette. (... Colette scoots beside her, {Colette} signaling for the bartender.)

Participle clauses also inherit their tense from the main clause. scoots is present, so signaling is interpreted as a present tense, thus:

... Colette scoots beside her, {and Colette} signals for the bartender.

Or:

... Colette scoots beside her and at the same time she signals for the bartender.

CJ

A question about the "ing" form

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions