An Advanced English Grammar with Exercises

by George Lyman Kittredge; Frank Edgar Farley

332. The present participle ends in -ing. It usually describes an action as taking place at the same time with some other action.

• Tom came sauntering up the path.
• The beggar shambled down the steps, grumbling.
• Reaching for the flower, I lost my balance.

333. The present participle often refers to time preceding that denoted by the predicate verb.

• Rising from his chair, he bowed. [That is, when he had risen.]
• Learning that your brother was in trouble, I hastened to his aid.

334. The past participle is always associated with the idea of past time or completed action.

1. The past participle of a weak verb has the same form as the past tense.[⁴⁰]

Present Tense	Past Tense	Past Participle
I mend chairs.	I mended the chairs.	The chairs are mended.
I sweep the rooms.	I swept the rooms.	The rooms are swept.
I seek treasure.	I sought treasure.	Treasure is sought.
I lose money.	I lost money.	The money is lost.

2. The past participle of strong verbs shows a change from the vowel of the present tense.

All strong verbs had originally the ending en (n) in the past participle, but this ending has been lost in many verbs.

Present Tense	Past Tense	Past Participle
He speaks.	He spoke.	(He has) spoken.
He draws.	He drew.	(He has) drawn.
He sings.	He sang.	(He has) sung.
He wins.	He won.	(He has) won.