"ing" clauses

Question

0Can the sentences bellow be written in a different way without changing their meaning? Why is "smiling, grumbling, feeling" seperated with a comma? When do we use it?02br02br001. "Ellen shook her head, smiling."02br02br002. "Bet, grumbling, had departed to her harp lesson."02br02br003. "He pranced about, feeling very important indeed."02br02br00This is my guess02br02br001. Ellen shook her head and smiled.02br02br002. Bet grumbled and departed to her harp lesson.02br02br003. He pranced about because he felt very important indeed.02br02br00Thank you very much for your help0-

Pieanne · Accepted Answer

0I'd say 02br
02br
00"She smiled as she shook her head"02br
02br
00"Bet had been grumbling as she had departed to etc..."02br
02br
00"He felt very important as he pranced etc..."02br
02br
00The -ing forms in your sentences shows the simultaneousness of both actions, and I think it is best paraphrased with "as".0-

Clive · Answer

0Hi,02br
02br
00Can the sentences below be written in a different way without changing their meaning? Why is "smiling, grumbling, feeling" seperated with a comma? When do we use it?01font00 They are adjectival phrases. They describe the person as he/she was doing something, in other words both things are simultaneous.02font02br
02br
001. "Ellen shook her head, smiling."02br
02br
002. "Bet, grumbling, had departed to her harp lesson."02br
02br
003. "He pranced about, feeling very important indeed."02br
02br
01font001. Ellen smiled as she shook her head. 01i00'was smiling' is also possible02i00.02font02br
02br
01font002. Bet had been grumbling as she departed to her harp lesson. 01i00There are a few other tense choices here, due to the Past Perfect aspect of the event.02i02font02br
02br
01font003. He felt very important as he pranced about. 01i00'was feeling' is also possible02i00.02font02br
02br
01font00Best wishes, Clive02font0-

Spring · Answer

0Thank you for your explanation. It feels great to understand!02br
02br
00How about these sentences?02br
02br
001. "Ashton being dead, the whole affair must now be laid before Colonel Browne."02br
02br
002. "Then I changed my mind, realising that he could do nothing to help."02br
02br
003. "George having been carried to his cabin, Ash had gone up to the deserted deck."02br
02br
00This is how I would paraphrase them:02br
02br
001. Because Ashton is dead, the whole affair must now be laid before Colonel Browne.02br
02br
002.Then I changed my mind, because I had realised that he could do nothing to help.02br
02br
003. Since George had been carried to his cabin, Ash had gone up to the deserted deck.02br
02br
00Thank you0-

Clive · Answer

0Hi again,02br
02br
01font001. "Ashton being dead, the whole affair must now be laid before Colonel Browne."02font02br
02br
01font002. "Then I changed my mind, realising that he could do nothing to help."02font02br
02br
01font003. "George having been carried to his cabin, Ash had gone up to the deserted deck."02font02br
02br
01font00This is how I would paraphrase them:02font02br
02br
01font001. Because Ashton is dead, the whole affair must now be laid before Colonel Browne.02font00 OK02br
02br
01font002.Then I changed my mind, because I had realised that he could do nothing to help.02font00OK, but you could omit 'had'.02br
02br
01font003. Since George had been carried to his cabin, Ash had gone up to the deserted deck.02font00 OK, but you could say 'went' instead of 'had gone'.02br
02br
00Best wishes, Clive0-

Believer · Answer

0Hi,02br
02br
00With all due respect, can I ask you if the sentence is right? When I saw the sentence, I felt it is awkward. Tell me if what I am feeling is based on a valid concern or not. 01u00As she had depart02u00 is the part that helped to trigger the rather uneasy feeling. As I said previously, these feelings I get nowadays might be due the passing of the weather.02br
02br
00He had been grumbling 01u00as she had depart02u00 to/for the harp lesson. 02br
02br
00Sorry for sounding too, too picky. I just want to know.0-

Pieanne · Answer

0It shoud be "had departed": the past perfect is formed wih "had" + the past participle of the verb.0-

Clive · Answer

0Hi,02br
02br
01font00He had been grumbling 01u00as she had depart01font00ed02font02u00 for the harp lesson. 02font02br
02br
00It's still not a very natural sentence. We wouldn't normally use the PP twice like this in a sentence. More natural would be02br
02br
01font00He had been grumbling 01u00as she departed02u00 for the harp lesson. 02font00or02br
02br
01font00He was grumbling 01u00as she departed 02u00for the harp lesson. 02font02br
02br
00The key with PP is that, if the sequence of events is clear without it, we don't normally use it.02br
02br
00Best wishes, Clive0-

"ing" clauses

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions