The category of time correlation. Ps have no aspect category; they do not refer an action directly to the past, present or future

Ps have no aspect category; they do not refer an action directly to the past, present or future. The time reference of Ps is relative, they express the time of the action in reference to the action of the finite verb. Relative time reference is expressed through the category of time correlation which reveals itself in the opposition of non-perfect and perfect forms /doing, being done, having done, having been done/.

The action of non-perfect P1 may

1. Take place at the same time with the action of the finite verb: the action of non-perfect P1 and that of the finite verb are simultaneous. / Walking down the street, he felt lonely. /

2. Follow the action of the finite verb. Such participles denote posterior actions, they show succession. / I fell hurting my knee. /

3. Precede the action of the finite verb. In such context the action of the finite verb closely follows the action of P1, and there is no time lapse between events. (Hearing the noise, I closed the window)

Non-perfect P1 describing a prior action follows a verb - of sense perception; - of motion: arrive, approach, come, descend, enter, leave, reach, turn, etc.; - associated with motion: close, grasp, open, push, put, put on, seize, take, take off, etc.

However, we use perfect P1 of these verbs to show and emphasize prior actions (A) when there is a lapse of time between the action of the P and that of the finite verb / Having heard about your achievement, I came to London to say ‘bravo’ /; (B) when the action denoted by the participle is durative / Having pulled the cart for hours, the pony is starving /.

Perfect P1 denotes an action that precedes the action of the finite verb. It denotes an action that was carried out prior to that of the finite verb ./Having done all the chores, I rushed to a disco./

P2 denotes a state of being finished and complete: this condition is a result of a prior action. In other words, though the action of P2 precedes that of the finite verb, the resultant state can be simultaneous with it./ My husband looked proudly at the repaired roof. /

Non-perfect and perfect Ps can refer actions or states to no particular time. /. I have never believed stories told by fishermen./

The category of voice. P1 of transitive verbs has voice distinctions. The opposition of the active and passive forms reveals the category of voice. Active Ps denotes that the action is performed by the subject; passive participles show that the subject is acted upon. /Compare 4 forms/. The subject of the P doesn’t necessarily coincide with the subject of the sentence.

-A word modified by the participle can act as its subject /I don’t know the man playing the violin./

-The nominal element of a predicative construction serves as the subject of the participle /I heard the boy playing a wonderful piece./

P2 of transitive verbs are always passive in their meaning: drawned, discussed, done, etc. There are intransitive verbs that can be used to form P2 which are always active in meaning. P2 of an intransitive verb denotes passing into a new state /arrived guests, faded pictures, risen sun etc./ As some verbs can be used both transitively and intransitively, their P2 can have both active and passive meanings /The letter had some hidden meaning. He lay hidden in the leaves.

4. THE SYNTACTIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PARTICIPLE AND THE PARTICIPLE AS A PARENTHESIS
Syntactic functions refer to constituents in a sentence – subject, predicates, attributes, adverbials, etc. – and relationships between them. The ways in which Ps function in sentences reflect their verbal, adjectival and adverbial character. Syntactically, the verbal character of the P is expressed in its combinability. Ps have the combinability of verbs. (1) Ps can be modified by adverbials / Smiling heartily; promptly served /; (2) Ps1 of transitive verbs can take direct objects / Grabbing the book, he rushed out /. The adjectival character of Ps is manifested in their syntactic function: -Ps can function as attributes or predicatives. The adverbial character of the P also reveals itself syntactically. Ps can function as adverbials of different types. In sentences participles may form: (1) participle phrases that operate as one syntactic whole. Thus, we find phrasal attributes, phrasal predicatives and phrasal adverbials; (2) predicative complex constructions that operate as one syntactic whole. We find complex subjects, complex objects and complex adverbials.

Non-perfect active P1 or P2 can be used within a syntactically independent element – parenthesis. In this function we always find participle phrase never a single participle. A parenthesis is added to a speech r piece of writing: *to give extra information; *to show the way the speaker or writer thinks and feels about somebody or something; *to provide an explanation or comment upon the whole sentence. ex: Being a philosopher, I have a problem for every solution. Having told the truth, leave immediately after.

5. MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GERUND

The morphological characteristics of the gerund reveal its verbal nature.