What is the difference between clause and sentence?

​What is Clause?

A clause is a group of words containing a subject and a verb.

A sentence is a complete, independent thought, punctuated with a capital letter and a period, consisting of one or more clauses

​Clause and sentence

An -ing clause uses the -ing form of a verb to make your sentences more concise and flow better.

✅ Used when both parts of the sentence have the same subject.
✅ Common in written English.

​What Are -ing Clauses?

• To explain why something happens or happened

• To describe two actions happening at the same time

• To describe a sequence of events

• To add information after a preposition

📝 Example:
Imagining the beautiful gardens, I felt really excited.
= I imagined the gardens and, because of this, I felt excited.

Why Use -ing Clauses?

• Having + past participle
  → To show one action happened before another
  ➤ Having finished my homework, I went out to play.

• Not + having + past participle
  → To show a past negative reason
  ➤ Not having studied, I didn’t pass the test.

• Verb-ing after prepositions
  ➤ After finishing dinner, we watched a movie.

Common Patterns

Sentence Function Examples

Practice Questions

Practice Questions

Practice Questions

Practice Questions

• Use -ing clauses for reasons, timing, and smoother writing.

• Remember: same subject for both actions.

• Start practicing by rewriting full sentences into concise -ing forms!

Summary

GE L11
Understanding -ing Clauses

Workbook page 110-111

1. Read the sentences above about people who made life decisions.
Which sentences use an -ing clause for the following?

a. to give a reason for an action
............ ............ ............

b. to describe two things happening at the same time
............ ............

c. to describe a sequence of events
............ ............

d. use an -ing form after a preposition
............

✅ Check!

1. Read the sentences above about people who made life decisions.
Which sentences use an -ing clause for the following?

a. to give a reason for an action --> a, c, g

b. to describe two things happening at the same time --> b, e

c. to describe a sequence of events --> d, e

d. use an -ing form after a preposition --> f

✅ Check!

2. Answer these questions about the sentences.

a. Which sentences use the past perfect participle?
............ ............ ............

b. Which sentences use a negative form?
............

🔎 Notice

2. Answer these questions about the sentences.

a. Which sentences use the past perfect participle?
a, c, d

b. Which sentences use a negative form?
c, g

🔎 Notice

3. Rewrite the underlined part of each sentence using an -ing clause.

a. __________________ After I talked with a careers advisor, I started looking for a course in nursing.

b. __________________ She saw lots of plastic being thrown away, so she decided to stop using plastic bags.

c. __________________ While we lived in France, we learned a lot about French history and culture.

✍️ Focus

3. Rewrite the underlined part of each sentence using an -ing clause.

a. Having talked/After talking with a careers advisor, I started looking for a course in nursing.

b. Seeing lots of plastic being thrown away, so she decided to stop using plastic bags.

c. While living in France, we learned a lot about French history and culture.

✍️ Focus

3. Rewrite the underlined part of each sentence using an -ing clause.

d ............................ He drank a coffee (and) he watched the news on TV.

e ............................ I always had a part-time job, (so) I had plenty of work experience.

✍️ Focus

3. Rewrite the underlined part of each sentence using an -ing clause.

d Drinking a coffee (and) he watched the news on TV.

e Having always had a part-time job, (so) I had plenty of work experience.

✍️ Focus

4. Correct the following sentences so that the subjects of both clauses are the same.

a. Cooking breakfast for his family, the smoke alarm suddenly went off.

b. Not knowing how to get to her house, their GPS gave them directions.

c. Arriving ten minutes late, the lesson had already started.

d. Leaving her home without an umbrella, it started to rain.

Practice

a Cooking breakfast for his family, he heard the smoke alarm suddenly go off.

b Not knowing how to get to her house, they used their GPS to give them directions.

c Arriving ten minutes late, she found that the lesson had already started.

d Leaving her home without an umbrella, she was annoyed when it started to rain.

Practice

Box:
Despite – After – Before – In spite of – Instead of – While

a. Although they had arrived early, they saw that the train station was very crowded.
→ Despite having arrived early, they saw that the train station was very crowded.

b. First, she did some research. Then she wrote to several companies for information.
.........................................................................................................................

c. He worked full-time in a bank and at the same time he studied part-time at college.
.........................................................................................................................

d. She had never been to China but she spoke Chinese fluently.
.........................................................................................................................

e. He only looked for a new job when he left his old job.
.........................................................................................................................

f. They wanted to visit New Zealand but eventually decided to go somewhere nearer.
.........................................................................................................................

Challenge

5. Rewrite each sentence using words from the box and an -ing form.

a Despite having arrived early, they saw that the train station was very crowded.

b After doing some research, she wrote to several companies for information.

c While working full-time in a bank, he studied part-time at college.

d In spite of having never been / never having been to China, she spoke Chinese fluently.

e Before looking for a new job, he left his old job.

f Instead of visiting New Zealand, they decided to go somewhere nearer.

Challenge

5. Rewrite each sentence using words from the box and an -ing form.