Mixed Participles - ESL worksheet by karina1984 - Free Printable

Let’s go through each sentence one by one. We need to pick the right form of the participle — past, present, or perfect — based on what makes sense in the sentence.

Remember:
- Present participle = verb + ing → used for actions happening at the same time as the main verb.
- Past participle = usually ends in -ed (or irregular) → often used for passive voice or completed actions.
- Perfect participle = having + past participle → used when one action happened before another.

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1. He sat in a comfortable armchair ______ (smoke) a cigarette.
→ He was smoking while sitting → use present participle: smoking

2. ______ (put) aside the newspaper, she raised her eyes at me.
→ She put it aside first, then looked up → use perfect participle: Having put

3. We watched the delegation ______ (show) into the hall.
→ They were being shown → passive meaning → use past participle: shown

4. ______ (visit) the museum before, I knew my way easily.
→ Visiting happened before knowing → perfect participle: Having visited

5. ______ (rise), the secretary put down the newspaper.
→ Rising happened before putting down → perfect participle: Having risen

6. ___(stop) before the traffic lights, he saw to his surprise it was almost 8 o’clock.
→ Stopping happened before seeing → perfect participle: Having stopped

7. ___ (work) as a taxi-driver for 20 years, he knew every little corner of the town.
→ Working happened over time before knowing → perfect participle: Having worked

8. She stayed ______ (lock) in her room, ______ (refuse) to come downstairs.
→ “Locked” describes her state → past participle. “Refusing” is what she was doing → present participle.
→ locked, refusing

9. The boy on the fence looked like a swallow, ______ (perch) on the telephone wire.
→ Perching is happening at the same time → present participle: perched? Wait — actually, “perch” here is describing how he looked — like a bird that is perched. So we use past participle for description: perched

Wait — let’s think again. If you say “a swallow perched on the wire”, it’s describing the swallow’s position — so “perched” is correct as a past participle used as an adjective. But sometimes people use present participle if it’s active. Actually, birds “perch” — it’s not passive. Hmm.

Actually, in this case, “perched” is commonly used as an adjective: “a bird perched on a branch”. So even though it’s not passive, we use the past participle form. So: perched

But wait — some grammar sources say for active ongoing action, use present participle. Let’s check context: “looked like a swallow, [which was] perching...” → but “perching” sounds odd. Native speakers say “perched”.

Actually, standard usage: “perched” is the correct form here. Example: “The cat sat, perched on the windowsill.” So: perched

10. They went out as they had come, ______ (see) by no one on the way.
→ Passive meaning — nobody saw them → past participle: seen

11. He looked at the scene ______ (shake).
→ He was shaking while looking → present participle: shaking

12. He introduced me to a friend, recently ___ (arrive) after a cruise around the world.
→ Arrived recently → describes the friend → past participle: arrived

13. __ (reject) by the editorial board, the story was returned to the author for revision.
→ Story was rejected → passive → past participle: Rejected

14. ____ (wait) in the reception room, he thought over what he would say...
→ Waiting happened before/during thinking → could be present or perfect. Since he was waiting while thinking, present participle works: Waiting

But if he waited first, then thought — perfect. But sentence says “he thought over... when he was asked” — so waiting was ongoing. Use present participle: Waiting

15. They reached the peak at dusk, _____ (leave) their camp with the first light.
→ Leaving happens after reaching? No — they left camp early morning, reached peak at dusk. So leaving happened before reaching → perfect participle: having left

Wait — sentence structure: “They reached the peak at dusk, ___ their camp with the first light.” That doesn’t make sense unless it’s “having left” — because they left camp earlier. Yes: having left

16. They put up for the night a temporary camp, _____ (leave) it at dawn.
→ Left it at dawn — after putting up → so leaving happened later? But the participle should describe what they did with the camp. Actually, “leaving it at dawn” is what they did — simultaneous or next action. Present participle: leaving

But if they left it behind, it’s a result — still present participle is fine. Or past participle? No — they actively left it. So: leaving

Wait — example: “They built a house, leaving it unfinished.” → present participle for accompanying action. Here: they set up camp, and left it at dawn → so “leaving” is correct.

17. ________ (write) in an archaic language, the book was difficult to read.
→ Book was written → passive → past participle: Written

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Now let’s list all answers clearly:

1. smoking
2. Having put
3. shown
4. Having visited
5. Having risen
6. Having stopped
7. Having worked
8. locked, refusing
9. perched
10. seen
11. shaking
12. arrived
13. Rejected
14. Waiting
15. having left
16. leaving
17. Written

Double-check tricky ones:

- #9: “perched” — yes, standard usage. You wouldn’t say “perching” here.
- #15: “having left” — because they left camp before reaching peak.
- #16: “leaving” — they left it at dawn, which is after setting up, but it’s part of the sequence described with comma — present participle is acceptable for subsequent action.
- #14: “Waiting” — he was waiting while thinking — present participle fits.

All seem correct.

Final Answer:
1. smoking
2. Having put
3. shown
4. Having visited
5. Having risen
6. Having stopped
7. Having worked
8. locked, refusing
9. perched
10. seen
11. shaking
12. arrived
13. Rejected
14. Waiting
15. having left
16. leaving
17. Written