What's the difference?
1a. If only I had more time to enhance my English skills.
1b. If only I had had more time to enhance my English skills.
a) my wish about present
b) my wish about past
It would have been better if I had chosen differently. (IF ONLY)
If only I had chosen differently!
Not till I got home did I realize that I had forgotten my keys at work!
inversion
Having promoted, I threw a big party to celebrate it!
Having been promoted , I threw a big party to celebrate it!
Hardly / she / fall asleep / somebody rang the front door bell
Hardly had she fallen asleep WHEN somebody rang the front door bell.
a. He didn’t want to offend her and said nothing bad about her performance.
b. Not wanting to offend her, he said nothing bad about her performance.
no difference
I don’t want him to come to my house. (RATHER)
I'd rather he didn't come to me house.
Having read the book, he knew how the film would end.
Perfect Participle
What are we going to do I have no idea.
What we are going to do I have no idea.
It / high time / I / pass the IELTS exam!
It's high time I passed the IELTS exam!
a. I have been looking for a job for 3 months.
b. I have known him for 3 months.
a) PPC (active verb)
b) PPC (state verb)
I got into the office and at once was given loads of tasks. (Scarcely ….)
Scarcely did I get to the office WHEN I was given...
Here comes the hero!
inversion/fronting
Mixing with lemon juice, this cocktail tastes much better.
Mixed with lemon juice, this cocktail tastes much better.
Fail/ the exam,/ she was afraid /to go home.
Having failed the exam, she was afraid to go home
a. Her sister, who works for Google, is a friend of mine.
b. Her sister who works for Goggle is a friend of mine.
a) She has one sister (non-defining relative clause)
a) She has more than one sister (defining relative clause)
If John hadn’t helped us, we would still be working on a project. (But ….)
But for John, we would still be working on a project.
But for John's helping us, we would still be working on a project.
Had I known how difficult it would be, I’d have never even applied for the position.
conditional 3/ inversion
Barking non-stop, I couldn't control the dog.
Barking non-stop, the dog couldn't be controlled.
The person / house / I / rent/ returned to the city.
The person whose house I rent returned to the city.
a) I know nothing about literature, but I found that piece sublime.
b) Little do I know about literature, but I found that piece sublime.
no difference, but b) is inverted and more dramatic
I didn’t pass the exam and disappointed my parents greatly. (Not …)
Not only did I fail the exam but also disappointed my parents.
Why are you so exhausted? - I've been painting my room.
PPC - side effect
I'd sooner you stop grumbling.
I'd sooner you stopped grumbling.
Have / clean up / she / go to sleep.
Having cleaned up, she went to sleep.