在英語里，我們可以用現在分詞(present participles)或現在分詞短語(present participial phrases)充當副詞修飾動詞。這是英語中一種極為普遍的句子結構，在書面語中，用得甚多，表示的意義也有好幾種。現在分述如下：

⒈表示辦事方法或行動方式，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表示伴隨狀況，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.表示時間，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.

這里要注意的是：用來表示時間的分詞短語必須擺在句首，用以說明分詞短語中的時間一過，謂語動詞的時間便開始。

如果要強調分詞短語的時間比謂語動詞的時間早些過去，那末分詞短語里的時態就要用完成時態(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、結果”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.