Participles

Question

Swimming across the lake twice, she finally rested.

Having swum across the lake twice, she finally rested.

What is the difference in the two sentences above? I know that "swimming" is a present participle and that "swum" is a past participle, but combining "swum" with "having" confuses me. What is "having"? Is it always used with a past participle?

Thank you.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Swimming across the lake twice, she finally rested.

Having swum across the lake twice, she finally rested.

What is the difference in the two sentences above? I know that "swimming" is a present participle and that "swum" is a past participle, but combining "swum" with "having" confuses me. What is "having"? Is it always used with a past participle?

First, let's look at a simpler example.

Cooking dinner, she phoned Tom. She phoned him while the cooking activity was happening.

Having cooked dinner, she phoned Tom. She phoned him after the activity of cooking dinner was complete, eg dinner was sitting on the table when she phoned him. 'Having cooked' is called a perfect participle, and it indicates that an activity is complete, that one 'has the result of the activity'.

Now, let's relate this to your examples.

Swimming across the lake twice, she finally rested. She rested while swimming, perhaps by floating on her back.

Having swum across the lake twice, she finally rested. She completed the swimming activity, and then rested, presumably after she got out of the water.

Best Clive

Neeraj Jain · Answer

Yes, as pointed out by Clive, the 2nd sentence means that she rested after she has completed all her swimming activity.

Anonymous · Answer

The difference between the two sentences is that the second shows more cause and effect between "having swum" and "rested". Also, in the first, we are not sure when she rested- during the swimming or just after. The second is very clear that she "had swum"- she is finished.

Having is the present participle of have. In this case, "having swum across the lake twice" is the condition "she" is in. it is the same meaning as "she had swum across the lake twice. then she finally rested."
By turning the "had swum across [...]" part into an adjective describing "she", we show more relationship between the two actions. To do that, we use the present participle "having" in place of "had". so,
"she had swum ..." -> "having swum ... , she". Now, we can use ["she" + the adjective expression in front] as the subject of a more complex, single sentence.

Anonymous · Answer

Respected sir,

I have some doubts about below sentence. Can you please elaborate on that.

1) I was willing to follow up with a potential client

over weeks and even months, developing a relationship with them until they were

ready to make a deal with us.

Developing a relationship is continuous action or what? I am confused about second part of the sentence after a comma. Can you please break it down the above sentence in two sentences.

I will appreciate your help

Thank you in advance

Participles

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