An -ing clause can show two things happening together, one action happening during another, one action finished before another (having done), or the reason for something (Feeling tired, I went to bed).
A Two things at the same time, or one during another
Dev is in the garden. He's mowing the lawn.
You can say: Dev is in the garden mowing the lawn. The part beginning with mowing is an -ing clause.
Use an -ing clause when two things happen at the same time.
Also use it when one action happens during another, usually a longer one. You can add while or when before the -ing.
- Dev is in the garden mowing the lawn.
- A boy came running down the road waving a letter.
- Don't just sit there staring at your phone!
- Take care going down those steps.
- Lucy sprained her wrist playing netball.
- Did you burn yourself ironing?
- Lucy sprained her wrist while playing netball.
- Take care when going down those steps.
B having done: one action before another
When one action is finished before the next one starts, use having (done) for the first action. You can also say after -ing.
These structures belong mainly to written English. When a sentence begins with Having (done) ... or After (doing) ..., put a comma after that part.
- Having parked the car, we walked down to the harbour.
- Having signed the contract, she shook hands with everybody.
- After signing the contract, she shook hands with everybody.
C -ing to give a reason
An -ing clause can also explain something, or say why somebody does something. The sentence usually begins with the -ing clause.
Feeling cold, I put the heating on means: because I felt cold.
Use having (done) when the reason was complete before the main action.
This, too, is mainly written English. Put a comma after the -ing clause: Feeling cold, ..., Not knowing ..., Having read ...,.
- Feeling cold, I put the heating on.
- Being a nurse, Hannah is used to working nights.
- Not having a garden, they grow tomatoes on the balcony.
- Having read the book, I didn't think much of the film.
- Not knowing the way, we followed the car in front and hoped for the best.
Exercises
68.1 Join each sentence to one of the sentences in the box. Use -ing.
She was baking a cake.She was doing a crossword.She was trying not to wake the baby.She said she was going to the post office.She was working as a nurse.She visited the museums and bought souvenirs.
Jess was in the kitchen.
Jess was in the kitchen baking a cake.
Jess was in the kitchen baking a cake.
Beth was sitting on the sofa.
Beth was sitting on the sofa doing a crossword.
Molly closed the bedroom door quietly.
Molly closed the bedroom door quietly, trying not to wake the baby.
Gail went out.
Gail went out, saying she was going to the post office.
Rosa lived in Cardiff for three years.
Rosa lived in Cardiff for three years, working as a nurse.
Nina spent the day in Edinburgh.
Nina spent the day in Edinburgh visiting the museums and buying souvenirs.
68.2 Put the words in brackets in the right order to complete the sentence.
Lucy (wrist / netball / her / sprained / playing)
Lucy sprained her wrist playing netball.
Lucy sprained her wrist playing netball.
I (on the beach / sunburnt / got / badly / lying)
I got badly sunburnt lying on the beach.
Mark (home / lost / cycling / his wallet)
Mark lost his wallet cycling home.
My uncle (down / tripped / the stairs / going / and broke his arm)
My uncle tripped going down the stairs and broke his arm.
Sophie (trying / her shoulder / a stuck window / to open / hurt)
Sophie hurt her shoulder trying to open a stuck window.
Three people were (to rescue / by the waves / the dog / swept away / trying)
Three people were swept away by the waves trying to rescue the dog.
68.3 Complete each sentence with Having + a suitable verb.
Having done the washing-up, Gary sat down with a cup of tea.
Having done the washing-up, Gary sat down with a cup of tea.
our coats in the cloakroom, we went in and found our table.
Having left our coats in the cloakroom, we went in and found our table.
the report carefully, I'm sure we can sort these problems out.
Having read the report carefully, I'm sure we can sort these problems out.
he loved spicy food, Craig has now refused to touch the curry.
Having said he loved spicy food, Craig has now refused to touch the curry.
her driving licence for speeding, Hayley now gets the bus everywhere.
Having lost her driving licence for speeding, Hayley now gets the bus everywhere.
forty years in the city, my parents have now moved to a cottage in the Dales.
Having spent forty years in the city, my parents have now moved to a cottage in the Dales.
68.4 Make one sentence from two. Begin with -ing or Not -ing, or with Having ... where the first action was complete before the second. Remember the comma.
I felt cold. So I put the heating on.
Feeling cold, I put the heating on.
Feeling cold, I put the heating on.
I thought the children might be thirsty. So I made them some squash.
Thinking the children might be thirsty, I made them some squash.
Ahmed is a Leeds fan. So he never misses a home game.
Being a Leeds fan, Ahmed never misses a home game.
I didn't have an umbrella. So I got soaked on the way home.
Not having an umbrella, I got soaked on the way home.
Carol has worked in a hospital for years. So she isn't squeamish about blood.
Having worked in a hospital for years, Carol isn't squeamish about blood.
I wasn't able to read the menu. So I just pointed at something.
Not being able to read the menu, I just pointed at something.
We had missed the last bus. So we had to walk home.
Having missed the last bus, we had to walk home.