THE PERFECT PARTICIPLE

  What is the perfect participle?

The perfect participle indicates completed action. You form the perfect participle by putting the present participle having in front of the past participle.

For example: having done, having finished, having read, having spoken

Compounds with the past participle

This combination is also known as perfect participle. It is used to form an active sentence with the past participle. There is a time gap between the actions.

1. Past participle and having

• Having failed my exams I joined the army.
• Having improved her English Pia's promotion prospects were much better.

One action happened after the other.

2. Present participle

• The girl came singing out of the building.

Both actions happened at the same time.