Present and Past Participle Clauses

What you’ll learn

Condense supporting information while keeping the subject clear.

បង្រួមព័ត៌មានដោយ participle clause ដែលមានប្រធានច្បាស់។

Meaning and use

An -ing participle clause often has an active meaning; a past participle clause often has a passive meaning. In ordinary supplementary clauses, the understood subject should match the main-clause subject. The participle itself does not fix tense: the main clause and context locate the action.

ឃ្លា -ing ជាញឹកញាប់មានន័យ active ហើយ past participle មានន័យ passive។ ប្រធានដែលយល់ដោយបរិបទគួរតែដូចប្រធានឃ្លាមេ ដើម្បីកុំឱ្យច្រឡំអ្នកធ្វើសកម្មភាព។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Active supporting information	Walking home, I saw a friend.
Passive supporting information	Written clearly, the instructions were easy to follow.

Examples

1. Waiting outside, Maly checked her messages.

   ខណៈរង់ចាំខាងក្រៅ ម៉ាលីបានពិនិត្យសារ។

2. Surrounded by trees, the house stays cool.

   ដោយមានដើមឈើព័ទ្ធជុំវិញ ផ្ទះនៅត្រជាក់។

3. Feeling unwell, he went home early.

   ដោយមានអារម្មណ៍មិនស្រួលខ្លួន គាត់ទៅផ្ទះមុន។

4. Asked about the delay, Dara apologised.

   ពេលត្រូវបានសួរអំពីការយឺត ដារ៉ាបានសុំទោស។

Everyday conversation

Dara: Can I shorten While I was waiting, I checked my phone?

Maly: Yes: Waiting, I checked my phone. A place phrase can make the setting clearer.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
Walked home, she called her sister. (active ongoing meaning)	Walking home, she called her sister.	Use -ing for the active supporting activity.
Written by a student, the teacher praised the essay. (intended: essay was written)	Written by a student, the essay impressed the teacher.	The understood subject of written must be the essay.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Reduce: Because she felt nervous, she spoke slowly.
2. Reduce with passive meaning: When he was asked to help, he agreed.
3. Does an -ing clause always describe present time?

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. Feeling nervous, she spoke slowly.

   The subject she is shared by both clauses.

2. Asked to help, he agreed.

   The past participle conveys passive meaning.

3. No.

   Time comes from the main clause and context.

Quick recap

• Active supporting information: Walking home, I saw a friend.
• Passive supporting information: Written clearly, the instructions were easy to follow.