Level 07 – Step 07 : Participial Constructions (Past Participle) (Surprised by the result, she cried. Encouraged by his teacher, he tried again.)
/Level 07 – Step 07 : Participial Constructions (Past Participle) (Surprised by the result, she cried. Encouraged by his teacher, he tried again.)
🚪 Let’s Begin
/🚪 Let’s Begin
🦉Professor Owl: Today we will learn how to use past participles to show a state or result that comes from an earlier action.
/🦉Professor Owl: Today we will learn how to use past participles to show a state or result that comes from an earlier action.
🐧Igupen: So we use words like “surprised” and “encouraged”?
/🐧Igupen: So we use words like “surprised” and “encouraged”?
🦉Professor Owl: Ho ho. Yes — these -ed forms describe how someone feels or what happened to them because of something else.
/🦉Professor Owl: Ho ho. Yes — these -ed forms describe how someone feels or what happened to them because of something else.
🦉Professor Owl: Listen, notice the meaning, and try the examples.
/🦉Professor Owl: Listen, notice the meaning, and try the examples.
📚 Lesson
/📚 Lesson
What is a past-participial construction?
/What is a past-participial construction?
A past-participial construction uses a past participle (often an -ed form or an irregular past participle) to describe a condition or result caused by an earlier action.
/A past-participial construction uses a past participle (often an -ed form or an irregular past participle) to describe a condition or result caused by an earlier action.
Form: Past participle phrase + comma + main clause (when the phrase comes first) or main clause + comma + past participle phrase (when it follows).
/Form: Past participle phrase + comma + main clause (when the phrase comes first) or main clause + comma + past participle phrase (when it follows).
Example: Surprised by the result, she cried.
/Example: Surprised by the result, she cried.
Example: Encouraged by his teacher, he tried again.
/Example: Encouraged by his teacher, he tried again.
Meaning: The past participle phrase tells why the subject is in a certain state or what was done to the subject before the main action.
/Meaning: The past participle phrase tells why the subject is in a certain state or what was done to the subject before the main action.
Subjects must match: The person described in the past participle phrase is the same as the main clause subject (Surprised by the result, she cried — she was surprised, and she cried).
/Subjects must match: The person described in the past participle phrase is the same as the main clause subject (Surprised by the result, she cried — she was surprised, and she cried).
Use past participles to make sentences shorter and to emphasize the result or feeling caused by a prior event.
/Use past participles to make sentences shorter and to emphasize the result or feeling caused by a prior event.
Watch irregular forms: eat → eaten; write → written; encourage → encouraged; surprise → surprised.
/Watch irregular forms: eat → eaten; write → written; encourage → encouraged; surprise → surprised.
🦉Professor Owl’s one-point tip
/🦉Professor Owl’s one-point tip
Ask: “Who felt something or had something done to them?”
/Ask: “Who felt something or had something done to them?”
If the same person is the subject of the main clause, you can use a past participle phrase to show the resulting state.
/If the same person is the subject of the main clause, you can use a past participle phrase to show the resulting state.
Quick checks inside the lesson
/Quick checks inside the lesson
Surprised by the result, she cried → result caused a feeling (she was surprised; then she cried).
/Surprised by the result, she cried → result caused a feeling (she was surprised; then she cried).
Encouraged by his teacher, he tried again → teacher’s encouragement caused him to try again.
/Encouraged by his teacher, he tried again → teacher’s encouragement caused him to try again.
🌼 Sample Sentences
/🌼 Sample Sentences
No.01 Surprised by the result, she cried.
/No.01 Surprised by the result, she cried.
No.02 Encouraged by his teacher, he tried again.
/No.02 Encouraged by his teacher, he tried again.
No.03 Tired and injured, the runner was carried off the field.
/No.03 Tired and injured, the runner was carried off the field.
No.04 Excited by the news, the students cheered.
/No.04 Excited by the news, the students cheered.
No.05 Shocked by the earthquake, the family left the house.
/No.05 Shocked by the earthquake, the family left the house.
No.06 Worried about the test, she studied all night.
/No.06 Worried about the test, she studied all night.
No.07 Scared by the thunder, the dog hid under the bed.
/No.07 Scared by the thunder, the dog hid under the bed.
No.08 Given a second chance, he finished the work.
/No.08 Given a second chance, he finished the work.
No.09 Filled with hope, they waited for the answer.
/No.09 Filled with hope, they waited for the answer.
No.10 Known for her kindness, she was loved by many.
/No.10 Known for her kindness, she was loved by many.
🎓 Practice exercises
/🎓 Practice exercises
Note: Think first, then check the answers.
/Note: Think first, then check the answers.
Q1: Combine into one sentence with a past participle phrase: The result surprised her. She cried.
/Q1: Combine into one sentence with a past participle phrase: The result surprised her. She cried.
Q2: Combine into one sentence: His teacher encouraged him. He tried again.
/Q2: Combine into one sentence: His teacher encouraged him. He tried again.
Q3: Choose the correct sentence: A) Surprised by the sound, the baby cried. B) Surprised by the sound, the baby was crying.
/Q3: Choose the correct sentence: A) Surprised by the sound, the baby cried. B) Surprised by the sound, the baby was crying.
Q4: Fill in the blank with a past participle: _____ by the failure, he worked harder. (discourage)
/Q4: Fill in the blank with a past participle: _____ by the failure, he worked harder. (discourage)
Q5: True or False: In “Encouraged by his coach, the player improved,” the player is the one encouraged.
/Q5: True or False: In “Encouraged by his coach, the player improved,” the player is the one encouraged.
Q6: Change to a past-participial sentence: The news shocked them; they left immediately.
/Q6: Change to a past-participial sentence: The news shocked them; they left immediately.
Q7: Choose the correct form: A) Excited by the gift, she smiled. B) Excited by the gift, she was smiling.
/Q7: Choose the correct form: A) Excited by the gift, she smiled. B) Excited by the gift, she was smiling.
Q8: Fill in the blank with the correct past participle: _____ by the loud noise, the cat hid. (frighten)
/Q8: Fill in the blank with the correct past participle: _____ by the loud noise, the cat hid. (frighten)
Q9: Rewrite correctly if needed: Given the map, the way was found by us.
/Q9: Rewrite correctly if needed: Given the map, the way was found by us.
Q10: Identify the result in this sentence: “Worried about the weather, they canceled the picnic.” — What action shows the result?
/Q10: Identify the result in this sentence: “Worried about the weather, they canceled the picnic.” — What action shows the result?
◆ Answers
/◆ Answers
A1: Surprised by the result, she cried.
/A1: Surprised by the result, she cried.
A2: Encouraged by his teacher, he tried again.
/A2: Encouraged by his teacher, he tried again.
A3: A is correct: Surprised by the sound, the baby cried.
/A3: A is correct: Surprised by the sound, the baby cried.
A4: discouraged → Discouraged by the failure, he worked harder.
/A4: discouraged → Discouraged by the failure, he worked harder.
A5: True.
/A5: True.
A6: Shocked by the news, they left immediately.
/A6: Shocked by the news, they left immediately.
A7: A is correct: Excited by the gift, she smiled.
/A7: A is correct: Excited by the gift, she smiled.
A8: frightened → Frightened by the loud noise, the cat hid.
/A8: frightened → Frightened by the loud noise, the cat hid.
A9: Correct natural form: Given the map, we found the way.
/A9: Correct natural form: Given the map, we found the way.
A10: They canceled the picnic — canceling the picnic is the result caused by worry about the weather.
/A10: They canceled the picnic — canceling the picnic is the result caused by worry about the weather.
🦉 Closing
/🦉 Closing
🦉Professor Owl: Well done.Remember: use past participle phrases when you want to show a state or result that happened because of something earlier.
/🦉Professor Owl: Well done.Remember: use past participle phrases when you want to show a state or result that happened because of something earlier.
🐧Igupen: I’ll try writing sentences like “Surprised by…” and “Encouraged by…” with my own examples.
/🐧Igupen: I’ll try writing sentences like “Surprised by…” and “Encouraged by…” with my own examples.
🦉Professor Owl: Excellent.
/🦉Professor Owl: Excellent.
🦉Professor Owl: Practice with real situations and soon these constructions will feel natural and strong.
/🦉Professor Owl: Practice with real situations and soon these constructions will feel natural and strong.
