Function of Present Participle

[Jupiter]

Hello Teachers,

Please see the following sentences:

Finding the front door locked, He went round the back.

Not knowing his phone number, I wasn't able to ring him.

What is the function of the phrases in blue color?

Thanks in advance

Jupiter

[Pond969]

Both phrases explain the situations that lead to, or make neccessary the main clause. That is to say, they providde explanatory information,... I am not a grammarian, but I would guess that the properly terminology for such sentence parts is 'non-restrictive clauses'.... Any others have thoughts on this?

[Yankee]

Hi Jupiter

Those are participial clauses. Your sentences could be rewritten this way:

Because/When he found the front door locked, he went round to the back.

Because I didn't know his phone number, I wasn't able to ring him.

There is a write-up about participial clauses here that might be interesting for you.

Amy
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"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Alan]

Hi Jupiter,

The participle phrases that you have highlighted in your sentences are what are nowadays called nonfinite clauses because they do not have a subject but borrow it from an adjacent clause. In your sentences:

Finding the front door locked, He went round the back.

Not knowing his phone number, I wasn't able to ring him.

you can see in the first one 'he' is borrowed and in the second one 'I' is borrowed. The danger in this kind of construction is not to have a different subject for each one. This results in confusion.

A
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple