在英语里，我们可以用现在分词(present participles)或现在分词短语(present participial phrases)充当副词修饰动词。这是英语中一种极为普遍的句子结构，在书面语中，用得甚多，表示的意义也有好几种。现在分述如下：

⒈表示办事方法或行动方式，如：● Feeling his way along the rocks, the mountaineer reached the peak of the hill.

● Flinging her arm before her face, the small girl pretended to burst into tears.

⒉表示伴随状况，如：● The two men shook hands, smiling at each other.

● The demonstrators marched through the street, chanting political slogans.

● Irene saw her husband glance toward her, disapproving.

● A few friends of the victim stood outside the house, still with a sense of shock, conversing quietly.

⒊表示原因，如：● Living in a city, we enjoy a lot of modern amenities.

● Meeting with a cold reception at his relatives’ house, the old man left in a rage.

● Having heard the story before, Joelle did not heed it any more.

● Being written in a hurry, the essay was fraught with errors.

⒋.表示时间，如：● Reaching the dilapidated castle, they slowed down their pace.

● Finding the hidden treasure , they discussed how to divide it.

● Arriving at the seaside , the picnickers pitched their tent for the night.

这里要注意的是：用来表示时间的分词短语必须摆在句首，用以说明分词短语中的时间一过，谓语动词的时间便开始。

如果要强调分词短语的时间比谓语动词的时间早些过去，那末分词短语里的时态就要用完成时态(perfect tense)，如：

● Having realised that they had lagged behind , Tom and Harry started to quicken their pace.

● The couple, having seen their son off, returned home without saying anything.

⒌表示“目的、结果”的意思，如：● The two parties sat down to talk, hoping to avoid further conflict.

● We have talked a lot about language teaching, often forgetting that it is learning that really matters.

● The old man’s hair came out by the roots, leaving him bald.