Irregular Present Participles

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The Three Irregulars

There are only three irregular present participles: 'être', 'avoir' and 'savoir'

Être - to be

Être → étant.

Avoir - to have

Avoir → ayant.

Savoir - to know

Savoir → sachant

Using the Present Participle

En + present participle

'En' + the present participle is used to mean 'by doing something' or 'while doing something'.
- Il lit le journal en mangeant.
  - He reads the paper while eating.
- En faisant cela , vous pouvez améliorer vos compétences.
  - By doing that, you can improve your skills.

Modify a noun

Ayant soif, j'ai bu un litre d'eau.
- Being thirsty, I drank a litre of water.
Je me suis blessé au genou en jouant au rugby..
- I hurt my knee playing rugby.

As an adjective

When they are used as an adjective, they follow the same rules as an adjective.
- Un film amusant.
  - A funny film.
- Des gens intéressants.
  - Interesting people.
- L'équipe gagnante.
  - The winning team.

1Identity & Culture

1.1Me, my family and friends

1.1.1Describing Yourself

1.1.2Physical Appearance

1.1.3Personality

1.1.4Friends

1.1.5Opinions on Friends

1.1.6Relationships

1.1.7Family

1.1.8Other Family Members

1.1.9Me, My Friends & My Family - Listening

1.1.10Pets

1.1.11Style & Fashion

1.1.12Shopping for Clothes

1.1.13Materials

1.1.14Exam-Style Questions - Pets

1.2Time

1.2.1What Time Is It?

1.2.2Time of Year

1.2.3Day, Year

1.2.4Past

1.2.5Future

1.2.6Present

1.2.7Time Expressions

1.3Technology in Everyday Life

1.3.1Social Media

1.3.2Social Media - Listening

1.3.3Mobile Technology

1.3.4Mobile Technology - Listening

1.3.5The Internet

1.3.6Exam-Style Questions - The Internet

1.4Free-Time Activities

1.5Festivals in French-Speaking Countries

1.5.1Festivals & Customs

1.5.2Festivals in French-Speaking Countries - Listening

2Areas of Interest

3Study & Employment

3.1My Studies

3.1.1School

3.1.2School Routine

3.1.3School Life

3.1.4'Y' & 'En'

3.1.5Exam-Style Questions - School Life

3.1.6Further Education

3.2Employment

3.2.1Jobs

3.2.2Career

3.2.3Job Applications

3.2.4Reasons Why

3.2.5Learning a Language

4Common Tenses

4.1Present Tense

4.2Perfect Tense

4.2.1Perfect Tense - Regular ER Verbs

4.2.2Perfect Tense - Regular IR Verbs

4.2.3Perfect Tense - Regular RE Verbs

4.2.4Irregular Past Participles

4.2.5Irregular Past Participles 2

4.2.6Être ER Verbs

4.2.7Être IR Verbs

4.2.8Être RE Verbs

4.2.9Irregular Être - 'Venir'

4.2.10Irregular Être - 'Naître' & 'Mourir'

4.2.11Perfect Infinitive - Using Avoir

4.2.12Perfect Infinitive - Using Être

4.3Imperfect Tense

4.3.1Imperfect Tense - Regular ER Verbs

4.3.2Imperfect Tense - 5 Common ER Verbs

4.3.3Imperfect Tense - Regular IR Verbs

4.3.4Imperfect Tense - 5 Common IR Verbs

4.3.5Imperfect Tense - Regular RE Verbs

4.3.6Imperfect Tense - 5 Common RE Verbs

4.3.7Imperfect Tense - Irregular ER Verbs

4.3.8Imperfect Tense - Irregular IR Verbs

4.3.9Imperfect Tense - Irregular RE Verbs

4.3.10Imperfect Tense - Être

4.4Imperfect vs Perfect

4.4.1Which One to Use?

4.5Future Tense

4.5.1Future Tense - Regular ER Verbs

4.5.2Future Tense - 5 Common ER Verbs

4.5.3Future Tense - Regular IR Verbs

4.5.4Future Tense - 5 Common IR Verbs

4.5.5Future Tense - Regular RE Verbs

4.5.6Future Tense - 5 Common RE Verbs

4.5.7Immediate Future

4.5.8Future Tense - Irregulars

5Advanced Tenses

5.1Conditional Tense

5.1.1Conditional Tense - Regular ER Verbs

5.1.2Conditional Tense - 5 Common ER Verbs

5.1.3Conditional Tense - Regular IR Verbs

5.1.4Conditional Tense - 5 Common IR Verbs

5.1.5Conditional Tense - Regular RE Verbs

5.1.6Conditional Tense - 5 Common RE Verbs

5.1.7Conditional Tense - Irregulars

5.2Pluperfect Tense

5.2.1Pluperfect Tense - Regular ER Verbs

5.2.2Pluperfect Tense - Regular IR Verbs

5.2.3Pluperfect Tense - Regular RE Verbs

5.2.4Pluperfect Tense - Être ER

5.2.5Pluperfect Tense - Être IR & RE

5.2.6Pluperfect Tense - Irregular Être

5.3Present Subjunctive

5.3.1Present Subjunctive - Regular ER Verbs

5.3.2Present Subjunctive - Regular IR Verbs

5.3.3Present Subjunctive - Regular RE Verbs

5.3.4Present Subjunctive - Two-Stem Irregulars

5.3.5Present Subjunctive - Complete Irregulars

5.3.6Present Subjunctive - Using the Subjunctive

5.3.7Present Subjunctive - Imperative

6Extra Grammar

6.1The Passive Voice

6.1.1Present Passive Voice

6.1.2Perfect Passive Voice

6.1.3Future Passive Voice

6.1.4Imperfect Passive Voice

6.1.5Avoiding the Passive

6.1.6Making the Passive Active

6.2Pronouns

6.2.1Subject Pronouns

6.2.2Direct Object Pronouns

6.2.3Indirect Object Pronouns

6.2.4Reflexive Pronouns

6.2.5Indefinite Pronouns

6.2.6'Y' & 'En'

6.2.7Me, Him, Them

6.2.8Stressed Pronouns

6.2.9Relative Pronouns

6.2.10'Ça' & 'cela'

6.2.11'Celui'

6.2.12Possessive Pronouns

6.3Asking Questions

6.3.1What, Which, Where?

6.3.2How, When?

6.3.3'Est-ce que...'

6.4Nouns

6.4.1The, A

6.4.2Some, Any

6.4.3Masculine

6.4.4Feminine

6.4.5Masculine Plurals

6.4.6Feminine Plurals

6.4.7Irregular Plurals

6.5Prepositions

6.5.1In, To, Of

6.5.2Verbs That Use 'A' or 'De'

6.5.3For

6.5.4Other Prepositions

6.5.5Locational Prepositions

6.5.6More Prepositions

6.5.7Prepositional Phrases

6.6Adverbs

6.6.1Adding 'ment'

6.6.2Exceptions

6.6.3Good, Badly, Fast

6.7Quantifiers & Intensifiers

6.7.1A Lot, Less, More

6.7.2Less and Less

6.8Adjectives

6.8.1Adjectives Must Agree

6.8.2Irregular Agreements

6.8.3No Pattern Irregulars

6.8.4Position of Adjectives: After the Noun

6.8.5Position of Adjectives: Before the Noun

6.8.6Position of Adjectives: Changing Meanings

6.8.7Comparative Adjectives

6.8.8Superlative Adjectives

6.8.9Good, Better, Best

6.8.10Demonstrative Adjectives

6.8.11Indefinite Adjectives

6.9Negative

6.9.1'Ne...pas'

6.9.2Other Negatives

6.9.3Two Verbs

6.9.4Infinitives

6.10Conjunctions

6.10.1But, And

6.10.2Then, So

6.10.3Because, While

6.10.4However, For Example

6.10.5Abbreviations

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