By the end of this exercise, you can join two actions in one sentence with participle clauses — -ing for active meaning, -ed/-en for passive meaning, and having + participle for the earlier action.
Free interactive exercise on English participle clauses (-ing, -ed/-en, having + participle): reading, gap-fill and free writing. No sign-up.
Read the text, then choose the correct answer to each question.
Every Saturday evening, the old town square changes completely. Vendors arrive at dusk, carrying tables, lanterns and crates of fruit. By eight o'clock, hundreds of people are moving between the stalls, trying food they have never seen before.
I went there last weekend with my camera, hoping to capture the atmosphere. Walking through the entrance, I was hit by a wall of smells — grilled corn, fresh bread and spices I couldn't name. A woman stood behind a stall piled high with mangoes, cutting them into perfect slices. Attracted by the free samples, I bought a bag of something sweet and sticky.
The market has been filmed a hundred times, yet it still surprises people. Couples sat at long wooden tables, laughing over plates of noodles, while a guitarist played songs nobody had requested but everybody seemed to know. Having eaten far too much, I finally put my camera away and simply watched.
Cities are often judged by their famous buildings. Seen from a distance, though, this square tells you more about the people who live here than any monument could. I left just before midnight, feeling as if I had visited several countries in a single evening.
Choose the participle that fits — -ing when the subject does the action, -ed/-en when it receives it.
Choose the correct participle clause — having + participle shows the action happened before the main verb.
Write 8–10 sentences describing your journey and first impressions to your English host family, using at least four participle clauses.
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