C1 Stage 1: Sentence
Start with an -ing or -ed phrase
Participle clauses (-ing and -ed phrases)
You can start a sentence with a short -ing or -ed phrase that gives the situation or the reason, like 'Faced with high rents, ...'.
This guide is for B2 writers moving to C1. It is a stage 1 skill: write one sentence (8-50 words).
When to use participle clauses
When you want to give a reason or a situation before your main point, or when too many of your sentences start with 'The', 'I' or 'People'.
Participle clauses: how to do it
A short phrase with -ing or -ed can give the situation or the reason in a few words: 'Faced with rising rents, many graduates move back home.' 'Having saved for years, she finally bought a flat.' Check one thing: the person or thing right after the comma must be the one doing the action. 'Walking home, the rain started' is wrong, because the rain was not walking.
Useful language for participle clauses
- Faced with ..., ...
- Having + past participle ..., ...
- Built / Designed / Written ..., ...
- Knowing that ..., ...
- Compared with ..., ...
Example of participle clauses
Squeezed by supermarket prices, many small farms have started selling directly to customers at weekend markets.
Topic: Small family farms
How the BetterWrite coach checks participle clauses
The BetterWrite coach checks 3 points for this skill, plus accuracy and staying on topic, and quotes your own words when one is not there yet.
Try it
Write ONE sentence about young people leaving the countryside that starts with (or includes) an -ing or -ed phrase that adds a reason or background (like 'Faced with rising costs, ...').
Write 8-50 words (one sentence).