“Having” + Past Participle | Advanced English Grammar

Summary

This video explains the use of the structure 'having' plus a past participle, such as 'having been', 'having done', and 'having finished', commonly used in formal writing. The video discusses how 'having' functions to indicate a completed action in the past and how it can be used in different contexts, such as adverbial and adjectival clauses. It also clarifies common confusion between participles and gerunds, emphasizing the importance of the same subject in both clauses. The presenter provides various examples to show how this structure works and how it contrasts with other verb forms.

Takeaways

• 😀 'Having' plus past participle structure (e.g., 'having been', 'having done') is common in written English, particularly formal writing.
• 😀 This grammatical structure indicates that an action is completed in the past, often showing cause or reasoning in the sentence.
• 😀 The subject of the participle phrase must match the subject of the main clause for clarity. For example, 'Having edited his paper, Tom was ready to submit it.'
• 😀 The 'having' construction is a shortened form of a conjunction, subject, and verb, essentially combining two clauses into one.
• 😀 Using 'having' in a sentence is equivalent to using 'after' or 'because' in a more complex sentence structure.
• 😀 In some cases, 'having' can be used with both the past participle and 'finished' or 'done' to indicate completion, though the use of both can be redundant.
• 😀 'Having' can be used in both adverbial and adjectival contexts. For example, 'Having been to Spain' can describe a past action or experience.
• 😀 Gerunds, which are verb forms acting as nouns, can confuse the 'having' construction, especially when the structure is not clear, as in the sentence with 'having several years of experience.'
• 😀 A participle phrase starting with 'having' can indicate completion, while a gerund phrase with 'having' suggests possession of something (e.g., experience).
• 😀 It's important to distinguish between a participial clause with 'having' indicating a completed action and a gerund phrase, where 'having' refers to possession or experience.

Q & A

What is the focus of the video in terms of grammar?

The video focuses on explaining the use of the structure 'having' followed by a past participle, such as 'having been', 'having done', or 'having finished'. It clarifies how this structure is used in sentences, especially in formal writing.

When is the structure 'having' plus past participle typically used?

This structure is most commonly used in formal writing and is often seen in sentences to express a completed action in the past. It suggests that something happened and was finished before another action took place.

What does the word 'having' represent in this structure?

'Having' acts as a reduction of a conjunction, subject, and verb. It helps to express that an action has been completed before another event, conveying the idea of a perfect tense.

How is the structure 'having' plus past participle different from a gerund?

A gerund is a verb functioning as a noun, while the 'having' plus past participle structure is a participial phrase that suggests a completed action. In the gerund case, no verb is used after the gerund, while in the 'having' structure, the verb is implied.

Can you give an example of how 'having' is used in a sentence?

One example is, 'Having edited his paper, Tom was ready to submit it.' This shows that Tom completed the editing of his paper before he was ready to submit it.

What is the importance of having the same subject in both clauses when using 'having'?

It is crucial to have the same subject in both clauses to avoid confusion about who performed the action. If the subjects are different, it can create ambiguity and make it unclear when the action happened.

What is the difference between the two interpretations of the sentence 'Having been to Spain several times, Jim is a great person to ask for tips'?

The sentence can be interpreted as an adverbial clause ('Having been to Spain') explaining why Jim is a great person to ask for tips, or as an adjective clause ('Jim, who has been to Spain several times'), providing additional information about Jim.

What does the phrase 'having overseen production' mean in the context of the sentence 'Having overseen production for several years, Ted was ready to take over as COO'?

In this sentence, 'having overseen production' refers to Ted completing the action of overseeing production in the past. It implies that Ted had experience in overseeing production before taking on the new role as COO.

Why is the sentence 'Having several years of experience overseeing the company's production process qualifies Ted to be the new COO' problematic?

This sentence is problematic because it incorrectly uses a gerund phrase ('Having several years of experience') as the subject of the sentence, making the verb 'qualifies' seem disconnected from the intended meaning. It should be a participial clause with a past participle to show a completed action.

How can you differentiate between the two uses of 'having' in the sentences 'Having several years of experience' and 'Having overseen production'?

'Having several years of experience' is used as a gerund phrase, where 'having' represents possession of something (experience). On the other hand, 'Having overseen production' is a participial phrase that shows a completed action in the past. The key difference is that one is about possession (gerund), and the other is about a completed action (past participle).