Fiche à imprimer : Les propositions participiales : Having finished..., Not knowing...

Une proposition participiale remplace une proposition complète (avec sujet et verbe conjugué). Elle rend l'écrit plus fluide et plus soutenu.

Forme	Sens	Exemple
V-ing	action simultanée, cause	Walking home, I met Tom. (= While I was walking)
Having + p.p.	action antérieure	Having finished his work, he went out. (= After he had finished)
p.p. seul	sens passif	Built in 1890, the bridge is still in use. (= which was built)
Not + V-ing	négation	Not knowing what to say, she kept quiet. (= Because she didn't know)

La règle d'or : le même sujet

Le sujet sous-entendu de la participiale doit être le même que celui de la principale. Walking home, I met Tom : c'est moi qui marche. On ne dit pas ~~Walking home, the rain started~~ (la pluie ne marche pas !).

Les traductions possibles

Being tired, I went to bed early. / Seen from the sky, the city looks tiny.

Comme j'étais fatigué, je me suis couché tôt. / Vue du ciel, la ville paraît minuscule.

Mise en situation : le résumé d'une histoire

Teacher : Can you summarise the beginning of the novel?

Peux-tu résumer le début du roman ?

Inès : Having lost his job, the hero moves to London.

Ayant perdu son travail, le héros s'installe à Londres.

Teacher : Good. And what happens next?

Bien. Et ensuite, que se passe-t-il ?

Inès : Not knowing anyone there, he feels lonely. Walking by the river one night, he meets an old friend.

Ne connaissant personne là-bas, il se sent seul. Un soir, en se promenant au bord du fleuve, il retrouve un vieil ami.

À retenir

V-ing : simultanéité ou cause (Walking home, ...).
Having + p.p. : antériorité (Having finished, ...).
p.p. seul : sens passif (Built in 1890, ...).
Not + V-ing pour la négation ; même sujet que la principale.

Exercice 1 : Les propositions participiales : exercice 1 (QCM)

___ his homework, he went out with his friends. (après avoir fini)
1. Finishing of
2. Finished having
3. Having finished
___ in 1890, the bridge is still used today.
1. Having built
2. Building
3. Built
___ what to say, she remained silent.
1. Knowing not
2. Don't knowing
3. Not knowing
___ home, I met an old friend. (en rentrant)
1. Walked
2. Walking
3. Having walk
« Étant fatigué, je me suis couché tôt. »
1. Being tired, I went to bed early.
2. Been tired, I went to bed early.
3. Be tired, I went to bed early.
« Vue d'avion, la ville paraît minuscule. »
1. Having seen from a plane, the city looks tiny.
2. Seeing from a plane, the city looks tiny.
3. Seen from a plane, the city looks tiny.
Quelle phrase est correcte (même sujet) ?
1. Opening the door, I saw a cat.
2. Opening the door, the cat was seen by me.
3. Opening the door, a cat appeared.
« Ayant perdu ses clés, il a appelé sa sœur. »
1. Having lost his keys, he called his sister.
2. Losing his keys before, he called his sister.
3. Having lose his keys, he called his sister.
« N'ayant pas révisé, elle a raté l'examen. »
1. Not revised, she failed the exam.
2. Not having revised, she failed the exam.
3. Having not revise, she failed the exam.
___ by millions of people, the song became a hit. (écoutée)
1. Having listen to
2. Listened to
3. Listening to

Exercice 2 : Les propositions participiales : exercice 2 (à compléter)

.......................... finished his work, he left the office. (ayant)
.......................... in 1850, the house needs repairs. (construite)
.......................... knowing the answer, I said nothing. (ne... pas)
.......................... along the beach, we found a shell. (en marchant)
.......................... the eldest, she looks after her brothers. (étant)
.......................... in 1600, Hamlet is still very popular. (écrit)
Having .......................... his passport, he went to the embassy. (lose)
.......................... from above, the lake looks like a heart. (vu)
Not having .......................... well, I was tired all day. (sleep)
.......................... ill, she stayed at home. (se sentant)

Exercice 3 : Les propositions participiales : mise en situation

Dans une rédaction, tu écris : « Après avoir fini ses études, il partit en Australie ».
1. Having finished his studies, he left for Australia.
2. After finished his studies, he left for Australia.
3. Having finish his studies, he left for Australia.
Tu décris un monument construit en 1889.
1. Having built in 1889, the tower attracts tourists.
2. Building in 1889, the tower attracts millions of tourists.
3. Built in 1889, the tower attracts millions of tourists.
Tu racontes que, ne sachant pas quoi faire, tu as appelé ta mère.
1. Not knowing what to do, I called my mum.
2. Not knew what to do, I called my mum.
3. Knowing not what to do, I called my mum.
Tu racontes qu'en rentrant de l'école, tu as vu un renard.
1. Walked home from school, I saw a fox.
2. Walking home from school, I saw a fox.
3. Walking home from school, a fox was there.
Tu résumes : « Étant la plus jeune, elle était la préférée ».
1. Being the youngest, she was the favourite.
2. As being youngest, she was favourite.
3. Been the youngest, she was the favourite.
Tu corriges la phrase fausse « Arriving at the station, the train had left ».
1. Arrived at the station, the train had left.
2. Arriving at the station, I found that the train had left.
3. Arriving at the station, the train had left me.
Tu écris : « N'ayant pas d'argent, ils ont dormi dehors ».
1. Haven't money, they slept outside.
2. Not having money of, they slept outside.
3. Having no money, they slept outside.
Tu décris une photo : « Vue de loin, la maison semble abandonnée ».
1. Seen from a distance, the house looks abandoned.
2. Seeing from a distance, the house looks abandoned.
3. Having seen from far, the house looks abandoned.
Tu écris : « Ayant lu le livre, je n'ai pas aimé le film ».
1. Having read the book, I didn't like the film.
2. Reading the book before, the film was bad.
3. Having readen the book, I didn't like the film.
Tu écris : « Se sentant seul, le héros écrit à sa mère ».
1. Feeling lonely, the hero writes to his mother.
2. Felt lonely, the hero writes to his mother.
3. Feeling lonely, his mother receives a letter.

Corrigé

Exercice 1

1. c) Having finished · 2. c) Built · 3. c) Not knowing · 4. b) Walking · 5. a) Being tired, I went to bed early. · 6. c) Seen from a plane, the city looks tiny. · 7. a) Opening the door, I saw a cat. · 8. a) Having lost his keys, he called his sister. · 9. b) Not having revised, she failed the exam. · 10. b) Listened to

Exercice 2

1. Having · 2. Built · 3. Not · 4. Walking · 5. Being · 6. Written · 7. lost · 8. Seen · 9. slept · 10. Feeling

Exercice 3

1. a) Having finished his studies, he left for Australia. · 2. c) Built in 1889, the tower attracts millions of tourists. · 3. a) Not knowing what to do, I called my mum. · 4. b) Walking home from school, I saw a fox. · 5. a) Being the youngest, she was the favourite. · 6. b) Arriving at the station, I found that the train had left. · 7. c) Having no money, they slept outside. · 8. a) Seen from a distance, the house looks abandoned. · 9. a) Having read the book, I didn't like the film. · 10. a) Feeling lonely, the hero writes to his mother.