# Past participle vs Being+past participle



## Unique.s

What is the difference in the meaning between the following sentences:

1. >Being beaten by snow, he died.
2. >Beaten by snow, he died.

Or:

1. >Being taken to the hospital, he survived.
2. >Taken to the hospital, he survived.


When we use Being+past participle as a participle clause, it refers to the reason for the action of the main clause and it replaces 'Because'.

when we use past participle clause as a subordinate clause it also refers to the reason for the action in the main clause. Thus, both(being+past participle and past participle) work the same and their meanings are also the same in sentences. They convey the same meangs but only their construction is different. I'm not sure,so I'm confused here.

If i understand the usage and meaning of them, my confusion will certainly be eliminated.


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## Warped

You use the -ing form when you want to show that an event lasted long or was (just) happening or is happening presently.

"Being taken to the hospital, he survived" means that he survived when he was being taken to the hospital. "Taken to the hospital, he survived" means that he survived in the hospital.

Your other sentences are similar to what I said above.


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## Forero

Unique.s said:


> What is the difference in the meaning between the following sentences:
> 
> 1. >Being beaten by snow, he died.
> 2. >Beaten by snow, he died.
> 
> Or:
> 
> 1. >Being taken to the hospital, he survived.
> 2. >Taken to the hospital, he survived.
> 
> 
> When we use Being+past participle as a participle clause, it refers to the reason for the action of the main clause and it replaces 'Because'.
> 
> when we use past participle clause as a subordinate clause it also refers to the reason for the action in the main clause. Thus, both(being+past participle and past participle) work the same and their meanings are also the same in sentences. They convey the same meangs but only their construction is different. I'm not sure,so I'm confused here.
> 
> If i understand the usage and meaning of them, my confusion will certainly be eliminated.


None of these forms means "because" in any definite way. And there are ambiguities inherent in all four examples.

I can't really assign a definite meaning to any of them without more context.

The two about the hospital seem rather strange. Whatever they are meant to say would probably be said another way, but specific context might make them more natural.


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## e2efour

I don't know what is meant by _beaten by snow. _
But I find _Overcome by the cold, he died _acceptable.

I personally avoid starting sentences with _Being_ since they often don't sound natural to me.
But I could write _While being wheeled into the operating theatre/room, he suddenly lost consciousness._


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## Unique.s

@e2efour,what would you think about the construction 'being+past participle' and past participle? How to use them?


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## e2efour

I don't see the need for _being_ if you use a past participle. As has been said, _being_ often means _while being._
But perhaps you could suggest a sentence?


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## Unique.s

@e2efour,Being employed in teaching at a school, I could hardly manage time for painting.

What is the meaning of this sentence? And what about the construction 'being+past participle'?


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## e2efour

I understand it as _Since/Because I was employed as a teacher ...
Employed_ is a past participle.


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## Unique.s

Then,what do you think of above sentences,in my question post ?

Being+past participle. . . .vs past participle . . . Do they mean same(becaus/since) there in those sentences?


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## e2efour

_Taken to the hospital, he survived_ does not have the idea of because he was taken, but he was taken to hospital and ...
_Caught in the snow storm, he lost his way _just lists two things in the same way.

I would not use _being_ in either of them.


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## Unique.s

@e2efour,"Being taken to the hospital,he died" means=Because he was taken to the hospital  or when he was taken to the hospital he died, which one is correct meaning?

Next, "Being beaten by snow,he died" means=Because he was beaten by snow,he died or when he was being beaten by snow,he died, which one is correct meaning?


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## e2efour

_Being taken to the hospital, he died_ suggests that he died _while being_ taken there.
_Taken to the hospital, he died_ means he died after he got there.

_Being beaten by snow_ means nothing to me.
It would probably mean _while being beaten/at the same time as he was beaten.
_
Don't use _beaten + past participle _unless you it is an adjective (_Being soaked to the skin, they felt miserable/Being interested in clockword watches, he bought one_. In these sentences the meaning is _since he was/they were._


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## Unique.s

@e2efour,Do you mean we should use 'being' with past participle' when we want to give reson for the action in the main clause,

<To mean 'because' or since

For example,

>Being offered a visa for USA, I'm going to go there.
(since/because I was offered a visa, I . . . )

>He Being employed in teaching at a school, he could hardly manage time for painting.
(because/since he was employed . . .)

can we can use"being+p.p" in both past and present situation(above sentences)!


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## e2efour

Your first sentence should be _Having been offered a visa for the USA ..._
I would not start a sentence with _Being offered_ when it means _Having been offered._

Your second sentence does not need _being_. It is enough to say _Employed as a teacher, ...
Being employed_ is possible, meaning since he was employed_. _But I don't like it, and you would not say _He, being employed, ...
_
If you want to start with _being_ in the sense of because, use an adjective.
_Being Japanese, she was brought up using chopsticks instead of a knife and fork._


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## Unique.s

When we use 'being' with adjective, can an adjective be a past participle?


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## e2efour

Past participles can function like adjectives, in which case they are normally listed in the dictionary.
The problem is that when they are not listed in the dictionary, it does not always sound natural to use them as adjectives (especially after _being_, when the participle which describes an action).

Examples of this use:
_The painted lady_ (a butterfly)
_Damaged goods
A married man
Off the beaten track
_
These two sentences mean because/since she was ...
_Being ignored by everyone at the party, he soon went home.
Being married with two children, she found it difficult to go out whenever she wanted._
(But it is simpler to start with _Married_)

_Being painted yellow, the house could easily be seen._ (Possible?)

It is not easy to make up sentences starting with _Being + _participle, so I would advise you not to try.


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## Unique.s

@e2efour,I think you would mean it's better not to use being+past participle to start a sentence with, but why have you started sentence using Being ignored . . ., being married . . ,being painted  in the sense of becaus/since?And I'm also not understanding what do you mean by adjective listed in dictionery.


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## e2efour

_Married_ is an adjective (it is listed as an adjective in the dictionary).
_Ignored_ _by everyone_ is a participle phrase. It doesn't sound wrong if you put _being_ in front of it in the sense of because.
_Being painted yellow_ is not a sentence I would write; instead, I would write _Because it was painted yellow._
I would, however, accept _Having been painted yellow. _This could mean after it had been painted yellow or since it had been painted yellow.


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## Unique.s

@e2efour,Oh I see.
But I've found 'painted' is also listed in dictionery as an adjective the definition of painted
and also in free dictionery painted


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## e2efour

I would still prefer _Having been painted yellow_ to _Being painted yellow._


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## Unique.s

@e2efour, prefering one thing to another is different matter.But what about my question? I've found" painted" is also an adjective and you had suggested me to use being with an adjective. And "painted" is also an adjective listed in the dictionary.I'm puzzled now even more.


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## e2efour

I'm suprised that it is listed as an adjective. For example, you can't say that something is _very painted _or _seems painted_ or _is more painted_, which are tests for whether a word is an adjective. Unfortunately, the tests do not always work.
It may function as an adjective, but there are differences between dictionaries in what they list as adjectives. I prefer to think of it as a past participle.


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## Unique.s

@e2efour, you may be correct but but are the dictionary wrong ? what would you suggest me to understand this ?


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## e2efour

Dictionaries do not always agree. Perhaps it is better to think of adjectives as not including past participles, since it is easy to make a sentence that does not sound natural.

Here are some examples of _being _+ past participle (in 2A _unable_ is a pure adjective). Note that when _being_ is not needed, I have written _(Being)._

1A. Because or Result (two actions, one resulting in the other)
_(Being) annoyed by his behaviour, she went back to Paris._
(_Having been annoyed_ sounds better, since it means that the second clause comes *after* the first clause. She was first annnoyed and then she went back to Paris.)

2A. Simultaneous because (two things with the same time reference)
_(Being) unable to free himself, he lay beneath the debris until rescued.
(Being) unable to help in any other way, I gave her some money._

3. passive "be" (the house is surrounded by trees) (the meaning is because)
_(Being) surrounded by trees, the house is invisible from the road._

4. progressive "be" (=as/while he was being helped)
_Being helped by one of the nurses, the patient slipped and fell._


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## Unique.s

@e2efour why "Being" isn't necessary there in front of 'uable,annoyed,surrended' and it's necessary in front of helped ? I haven't got it at all.



Warped said:


> You use the -ing form when you want to show that an event lasted long or was (just) happening or is happening presently.
> 
> "Being taken to the hospital, he survived" means that he survived when he was being taken to the hospital. "Taken to the hospital, he survived" means that he survived in the hospital.
> 
> Your other sentences are similar to what I said above.


But how these sentences like 'being taken to the hospital or being beaten by snow is formed ?do you agree with @e2efour in #24 ?


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## e2efour

Unique.s said:


> @e2efour why "Being" isn't necessary there in front of 'uable,annoyed,surrended' and it's necessary in front of helped ? I haven't got it at all.



_Helped by one of the nurses, the patient slipped_ suggests that the nurse helped the patient to slip.
_Being helped_ at least suggests _while he was being helped_ (which is rather better way of describing the situation).


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## Unique.s

Having read your answer about "helped",Do you mean "being" is not necessary in the following usage :

Participle clauses replacing a relative clause
A present participle clause can replace an active voice finite relative clause. The noun before the participle is the doer of the action:
The man driving the car was not injured. (The man who was driving the car was not injured.)
Present participle clauses are possible even with verbs which are not normally used in the continuous form (state verbs):
If you think you have received an e-mail
containing a virus, you should delete it immediately. (If you think you have received an e-mail which contains a virus, delete it immediately.)
A past participle clause can replace a passive voice finite relative clause. The noun before the participle is its object:
This is the last photograph taken of my grandmother . (This is the last photograph
that was taken of my grandmother .)
Participle clauses | Grammaring - A guide to English grammar
source:


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## e2efour

Where would you want to use _being_ when you change a passive relative clause? 
Give me an example.


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## Unique.s

e2efour said:


> Where would you want to use _being_ when you change a passive relative clause?
> Give me an example.



sorry I don't know.



e2efour said:


> _Being taken to the hospital, he died_ suggests that he died _while being_ taken there.
> _Taken to the hospital, he died_ means he died after he got there.
> 
> _Being beaten by snow_ means nothing to me.
> It would probably mean _while being beaten/at the same time as he was beaten.
> _
> Don't use _beaten + past participle _unless you it is an adjective (_Being soaked to the skin, they felt miserable/Being interested in clockword watches, he bought one_. In these sentences the meaning is _since he was/they were._





e2efour said:


> _Being taken to the hospital, he died_ suggests that he died _while being_ taken there.
> _Taken to the hospital, he died_ means he died after he got there.
> 
> _Being beaten by snow_ means nothing to me.
> It would probably mean _while being beaten/at the same time as he was beaten.
> _
> Don't use _beaten + past participle _unless you it is an adjective (_Being soaked to the skin, they felt miserable/Being interested in clockword watches, he bought one_. In these sentences the meaning is _since he was/they were._





e2efour said:


> _Being taken to the hospital, he died_ suggests that he died _while being_ taken there.
> _Taken to the hospital, he died_ means he died after he got there.
> 
> _Being beaten by snow_ means nothing to me.
> It would probably mean _while being beaten/at the same time as he was beaten.
> _
> Don't use _beaten + past participle _unless you it is an adjective (_Being soaked to the skin, they felt miserable/Being interested in clockword watches, he bought one_. In these sentences the meaning is _since he was/they were._



Having read about being beaten or being taken, I come to the point that 'Being beaten by the snow, he died means= while he was being beaten by the snow, he died. In active form, While the snow was beating him, he died. Isn't it called "past continuous passive participle"? Because "the snow was beating him" is past continuueous form.


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## e2efour

As I said before, I don't know what you mean by _beaten _since snow does not beat you. It could mean _defeated_, but you probably mean _caught in a snowstorm. _We then have at least three possible participle (or participial) clauses:

(1) _Being caught in a snowstorm, he died. _(participle clause)
(2)_ Caught in a snowstorm, he died. _(participle or adjectival clause)
(3)_ Having been caught in a snowstorm, he died. _(participle clause)
(4) _After being caught in a snowstorm, he died. _(participle or prepositional clause)

It is not clear whether he died during or after the storm, i.e. whether or not the snow was still falling.
(1) and (2) probably mean _Since he was caught in a snowstorm_ or _As a result of being caught in a snowstorm. _I prefer (2) to (1).
(3) and (4) are both unclear about whether the snow was falling when he died.

(1) cannot be used as an example of the "past continuous passive tense". We would say _Since he was caught_ instead.

You might make up sentences with _lashed by the rain_, in which case _he was being lashed_ and _he was lashed_ both work.

Your choice of sentence is stylistic. I would personally prefer (4) with a different order or words: _He died after being caught in a snowstorm._


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## Unique.s

@e2efour,Thank you for your detailed analysis. Now, i came to know that why 'being beaten by the snow' isn't correct as the snow isn't a kind of a person which can beat him. My second examples 'being taken to the hospital' might be correct. It may mean: 
1. while he was being taken to the hospital, he died.(passive voice)

2. Being taken to the hospital, he died.(past continueous passive participle clause)

3. While they were taking him to the hospital, he died.(active voice)

4. Taken to the hospital, he died.(past participle clause)

1,2 and 3 have the same meaning, but 3 is in active voice.


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## Yichen

Hi Unique.s,

I think it would be easier if you regard "being + past participle" as a form derived from "be (is, for example) being + past participle."

Being poor, he had to earn more money.
Being a student, he studies hard.
The words that follow the "being" are not past participls.

Being built in 1900, the bridge still looks new.
It sounds like "the bridge was being built in 1900".


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## Unique.s

Yichen said:


> Hi Unique.s,
> 
> I think it would be easier if you regard "being + past participle" as a form derived from "be (is, for example) being + past participle."
> 
> Being poor, he had to earn more money.
> Being a student, he studies hard.
> The words that follow the "being" are not past participls.
> 
> Being built in 1900, the bridge still looks new.
> It sounds like "the bridge was being built in 1900".


But you'r still using "built' which is the past participle of "build".
In your example, Being built= being+past participle
so, I couldn't understand what you said.
I know being is used with adjective, for example, as you quoted 'Being a student, he studied hard'
But we are talking about "Being+p.p'


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## Yichen

I mean, in this case, you can simply say:
Built in 1900, the bridge still looks new.
Thus, there is no such thing as "the bridge was being built".


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## AidaGlass

Hi
What is the role of " being caught" in the below sentence? 


e2efour said:


> After being caught in a snowstorm, he died.


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## e2efour

AidaGlass said:


> Hi
> What is the role of " being caught" in the below sentence?



It is the object of _after_.
It is an alternative way of saying the following. In _after_ + verb we use the passive -_ing_ form of the verb (in other words, _after_ + _being + past participle_).

_After he had been caught/he was caught in a snowstorm, he died.
_
Compare _He was arrested and taken to the police station._
This can be written as:
_After being arrested, he was taken to the police station.
After having been arrested_, _he was taken to the police station.
After his arrest, he was taken to the police station._


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## Unique.s

e2efour said:


> It is the object of _after_.
> It is an alternative way of saying the following. In _after_ + verb we use the passive -_ing_ form of the verb (in other words, _after_ + _being + past participle_).
> 
> _After he had been caught/he was caught in a snowstorm, he died.
> _
> Compare _He was arrested and taken to the police station._
> This can be written as:
> _After being arrested, he was taken to the police station.
> After having been arrested_, _he was taken to the police station.
> After his arrest, he was taken to the police station._


 what happen if i use being+p.p without 'after'. For example:
>Being arrested, he was taken to the police station.


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## e2efour

_I would much prefer Having been arrested_.
I don't think _being arrested_ like this is good style. For one thing, it could suggest _while he was being arrested._
It is also not a shorter way of saying _he was being arrested._


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## Unique.s

e2efour said:


> _I would much prefer Having been arrested_.
> I don't think _being arrested_ like this is good style. For one thing, it could suggest _while he was being arrested._
> It is also not a shorter way of saying _he was being arrested._


I was told that these sentences are clumsy and their meanings are confusing:

1. Being taken to the hospital, he survided.

2. Being beaten by the snow, he died.

Can I convert these sentence into meaningfull sentences as follows:

1. Being taken to the hospital, he died.

(To mean: while he was being taken to the hospital, he died)

2. Being beaten by mother to her son, the father arrived.

(To mean: While the son was being beaten by his mother, the father arrived)


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## e2efour

1. Being taken to the hospital, he survived. (He survived at the hospital, so write _Taken or Having been taken_)

2. Being beaten by the snow, he died.

Can I convert these sentence into meaningfull sentences as follows:

1. While being taken to the hospital, he died. 

(To mean: while he was being taken to the hospital, he died)

2. Being beaten by mother to her son, the father arrived.
The subject (_the father_) must be the same in both clauses.

(To mean: While his son was being beaten by his mother, the father arrived)


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## Unique.s

e2efour said:


> 1. Being taken to the hospital, he survived. (He survived at the hospital, so write _Taken or Having been taken_)
> 
> 2. Being beaten by the snow, he died.
> 
> Can I convert these sentence into meaningfull sentences as follows:
> 
> 1. While being taken to the hospital, he died.
> 
> (To mean: while he was being taken to the hospital, he died)
> 
> 2. Being beaten by mother to her son, the father arrived.
> The subject (_the father_) must be the same in both clauses.
> 
> (To mean: While his son was being beaten by his mother, the father arrived)


Thank you to have corrected me. But what about "being beaten by mother" example sentence? how can i make it meaningfull ?


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## e2efour

You can't using a participle.
You would have to use the sentence starting with _While his son was being beaten ..._


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## Unique.s

e2efour said:


> You can't using a participle.
> You would have to use the sentence starting with _While his son was being beaten ..._


It means I can't use participle there.Why you didn't tell me.Next, you said "you can't using", can't+verb ing ?


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## PaulQ

Warped said:


> You use the -ing form when you want to show that an event lasted long or was (just) happening or is happening presently.




Both are reduced clauses:

1. >Being taken to the hospital, he survived. -> Because he had experienced being taken to the hospital, he survived.
2. >Taken to the hospital, he survived. -> Because he was taken to the hospital, he survived.

Although it is possible to understand "Being taken to the hospital, he survived." as "He survived being taken to hospital." (i.e. He survived the journey to the hospital), it is also possible to understand it as "Because he had experienced being taken to the hospital, he survived - with the implication that he was treated successfully in the hospital.  This ambiguity is one reason that the participle clause should be avoided.


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## PaulQ

Unique.s said:


> But what about "being beaten by mother" example sentence?


You are using the verb to beat in two different senses.

He was *beaten *by the snow = He was *defeated *by the snow.
I was beaten by my mother = I was hit by my mother.

Please pay attention to verbs that have more than one meaning.


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## e2efour

Unique.s said:


> It means I can't use participle there.Why you didn't tell me.Next, you said "you can't using", can't+verb ing ?


_You can't (make it meaningful) using a participle_.
I told you why in #42 (the subjects have to be the same).


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## Unique.s

PaulQ said:


> You are using the verb to beat in two different senses.
> 
> He was *beaten *by the snow = He was *defeated *by the snow.
> I was beaten by my mother = I was hit by my mother.
> 
> Please pay attention to verbs that have more than one meaning.


Thank you so much to have told me about 'beat','hit and defeate'. I came to know that I should have used those verbs in my example sentences correctly. But what abou the following sentences:
Do the following (1) and (2)sentences give the same meaning ?

1. Being taken to the hospital, he died.

2. While being taken to the hospital, he died.

(The meaning of both sentence is: while he was being taken to the hospital, he died)
and
Is it correct to use no(1) and (2) sentence?


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## PaulQ

Unique.s said:


> Do the following (1) and (2)sentences give the same meaning? 1. Being taken to the hospital, he died


You may wish to read what I said earlier, rather than ask me to repeat it:





PaulQ said:


> Although it is possible to understand "Being taken to the hospital, he survived." as "He survived being taken to hospital." (i.e. He survived the journey to the hospital), it is also possible to understand it as "Because he had experienced being taken to the hospital, he survived - with the implication that he was treated successfully in the hospital. *This ambiguity is one reason that the participle clause should be avoided.*


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## Unique.s

PaulQ said:


> You may wish to read what I said earlier, rather than ask me to repeat it:


ok sir I understood that participle clause doesn't work everywhere.



e2efour said:


> 1. Being taken to the hospital, he survived. (He survived at the hospital, so write _Taken or Having been taken_)
> 
> 2. Being beaten by the snow, he died.
> 
> Can I convert these sentence into meaningfull sentences as follows:
> 
> 1. While being taken to the hospital, he died.
> 
> (To mean: while he was being taken to the hospital, he died)
> 
> 2. Being beaten by mother to her son, the father arrived.
> The subject (_the father_) must be the same in both clauses.
> 
> (To mean: While his son was being beaten by his mother, the father arrived)



sir,Now I came to know that I shouldn't start to sentence with "Being+past participle' alone, rather I need to put 'while' in front of this construction.

At last, what about the construction of those sentences starting with 'being+past participle' ?

 I was told by one of my teacher
that the example sentence: 'Being taken to the hospital, he died' is in "continueous participle clause in passive voice". I don't understand what "continueous participle clause in passive voice" mean. Could you please teach me about it ?


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## PaulQ

participle clause = a clause that is introduced by a verb-participle

I *went *to town -> *went *is the simple past.
I *was going* to town. -> *was going* is the simple past continuous form of the verb.

Verbs in English can be in the *active voice*:
The dog .....bit................ me
subject..[active] verb......object -> the subject does the verb to the object

*or the passive voice*

I ................was bitten...by... the dog.
subject.... [passive] verb......... actor. -> the actor does the verb to the subject.

You can only use the passive with transitive verbs (i.e. those that have an object.)

You will see that the passive is formed by "to be" + "past particle."

Have a look at: Learn English - Passive Voice


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## Unique.s

PaulQ said:


> participle clause = a clause that is introduced by a verb-participle
> 
> I *went *to town -> *went *is the simple past.
> I *was going* to town. -> *was going* is the simple past continuous form of the verb.
> 
> Verbs in English can be in the *active voice*:
> The dog .....bit................ me
> subject..[active] verb......object -> the subject does the verb to the object
> 
> *or the passive voice*
> 
> I ................was bitten...by... the dog.
> subject.... [passive] verb......... actor. -> the actor does the verb to the subject.
> 
> You can only use the passive with transitive verbs (i.e. those that have an object.)
> 
> You will see that the passive is formed by "to be" + "past particle."
> 
> Have a look at: Learn English - Passive Voice


 I'v learned passive more or less and I'v read the link content you provided but What I  haven't understood is What "continueous participle clause in passive" is. I think I need to start another thread for it.


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## Yichen

" being + past participle " can boil down to the following:
1. a state
2. an action
3. the logical connotation with the main clause


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## Unique.s

Here is an answer received from Britishcouncil Learning English:

"Hello Englishlover,
It is possible to start a sentence with a present participle, as this page shows, and it is possible to use a passive form when it is necessary to ensure that the subject of each clause is the same. However, it is an unusual structure and generally used for states rather than actions in progress, and that is why your example does not work. You could say this, for example:
Being weakened by the virus, he was unable to survive the operation.
Here, the [being + past participle] form is describing a state rather than an action in progress.
Participle clauses


Does "being+past participle" change into "being+adjective" ? do "being+past participle" works as "states rather than the action in progress" when we use being with past participle or adjective?


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## Unique.s

Dear sir,

I have been  suggested not to start a sentence using 'Being+past particle' unless I use "being" with an adjective. On the other hand, I have also been told that a past particle can also work like an adjective. There are some adjective such as annoyed, Ignored, surrunded, tired, married, employed etc which look like past particle.    So, I'm often confused with "adjective" and "past particle" . If I recognized them, I would use adjective with 'being' to start a sentence to mean "because or since". Dictionaries don't help much as I said before that "painted" is also listed as an adjective. Are there any methods or test that help to recognize them ?


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