Verb and ing

Question

Hi teachers,I still cannot truly understand the pattern.  Would 'covering usage' be correct? The landlord decided to keep a portion of the deposit for cleanuup. The landlord decided to keep a portion of the deposit, covering the charges for cleanup

Philip · Accepted Answer

tinanam0102The landlord decided to keep a portion of the deposit for cleanup.
The landlord decided to keep a portion of the deposit, covering the charges for cleanup

Both of these sentences are correct.

CalifJim · Answer

tinanam0102Would 'covering usage' be correct?

Not in those sentences, no. The phrase is "to cover the charges for ..."

To cover the charges for cleanup = To pay for the cleanup.

To cover the charges for X = To pay for X

CJ

Tinanam0102 · Answer

Hi CalifJim,

Thanks for the correction. I had to do a little review on participle.

1. Do you mean I should instead write: The landlord decided to keep a portion of the deposit to cover the charges for cleanup.

2. Is it right to say: The landlord decided to keep a portion of the deposit, covering the cleanup he would be paying. (Again is the usage correct? I'm trying to understand if this one can be)

3. In a grammar book, participle usage:

She sat in an armchair reading a book. Is this sentence same as 'She was sitting in an armchair reading a book'?
She spent eight months living in New York City. My cat spent most of the time sleeping. Do these sentences all fall into the same category as 'happening at the same time', this participle? Or spend is a gerund?

4. And then there's 'Try again (by) using the prompts provided'? Do this last one count as participle usage?

I apologize for such a long thread.
TN

CalifJim · Answer

tinanam01021. Do you mean I should instead write: The landlord decided to keep a portion of the deposit to cover the charges for cleanup.

Yes. You want an infinitive there because you are stating a purpose. It's called an infinitive of purpose. It answers the question "Why?" (to pay for cleanup would be just as good.)

tinanam01022. Is it right to say: The landlord decided to keep a portion of the deposit, covering the cleanup he would be paying. (Again is the usage correct? I'm trying to understand if this one can be)

It's OK even though it's not a typical case of a participle clause. I suppose this one should be interpreted as a "thereby" case. ... keep ... deposit, (thereby) covering ....

tinanam0102She sat in an armchair reading a book. Is this sentence same as 'She was sitting in an armchair reading a book'?

Yes. That's exactly right.

tinanam0102She spent eight months living in New York City. My cat spent most of the time sleeping. Do these sentences all fall into the same category as 'happening at the same time'

I don't think these really belong in the same category as most participle clauses. It's not a matter of varying the style, which is more or less how the typical participle clause comes about. These are different because they are dependent on the preceding idiom. "to spend time" is followed by a participle clause that tells the listener how the time was spent. This is a catenative structure. "spend ... -ing". Similarly, "have trouble -ing". (There is no gerund here.)

spent [time / three hours / five days / ...] [listening to music / reading books / sleeping ...]
had trouble [finishing my homework / hearing the professor / finding the answer / ...]

tinanam01024. And then there's 'Try again (by) using the prompts provided'? Do this last one count as participle usage?

Yes. using the prompts provided is a participle clause. I suppose you might consider this an "instrumental" case. It answers the question "How?", "By what method?", "By what means?" ("By what 'tool'/'instrument'?")

tinanam0102I apologize for such a long thread.

You're forgiven. I know you're trying to be brief whenever that's possible.

CJ

Tinanam0102 · Answer

Hi CalifJim,

Thanks for the help you've given me. This is a topic that always fascinates me.

Have a wonderful day!

TN

Tinanam0102 · Answer

Hi CalifJim,

1. Feeling tired, I went to bed early. Can it be: I went to bed early feeling tired?

2. China is racing to secure Middle East oil deals, putting it on a possible collision course with U.S. interests in the world's most volatile region. Can it be: Putting it on a possible collision course with U.S. interests....region, China is racing to secure...deals?

3. He slipped and fell to some 30 meter pit below, crushing his legs. Does it mean: He slipped and fell to some 30 meter pit below, which crushed his legs or He slipped .....below, causing him to crush his legs.

Thanks
TN

CalifJim · Answer

tinanam01021. Feeling tired, I went to bed early. Can it be: I went to bed early feeling tired?

Yes, but your reader may get a slightly different feeling about these. The first is closer to saying "I was feeling tired. Therefore, I went to bed early." The second is closer to "I went to bed early. I was feeling tired at the time." In other words, the second one doesn't give the feeling of a logical relationship between the two ideas as strongly as the first does.

I'd call this the "because" relationship. (Because) (I was) feeling tired, I went ....

tinanam01022. China is racing to secure Middle East oil deals, putting it on a possible collision course with U.S. interests in the world's most volatile region. Can it be: Putting it on a possible collision course with U.S. interests....region, China is racing to secure...deals?

Yes, but in the second case, it takes a really long time before the reader has a chance to find out what "it" is, so that one is harder to follow and understand.

tinanam01023. He slipped and fell to some 30 meter pit below, crushing his legs. Does it mean: He slipped and fell to some 30 meter pit below, which crushed his legs or He slipped .....below, causing him to crush his legs.

The meaning is closer to your second paraphrase. I call this the "thereby" relationship. ... slipped ..., (thereby) crushing ....

CJ

Tinanam0102 · Answer

Hi CaliJim,

Thanks again for all the help you've given.
TN

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