[Grammar] "The London underground is the oldest system, having opened in 1863."

[nininaz]

Hello All,
Which of the following sentences are the reduction form of the bold sentence?!
"The London underground is the oldest system because it was opened in 1863."
"The London underground is the oldest system because it had opened in 1863."
"The London underground is the oldest system because it has opened in 1863."

"The London underground is the oldest system, having opened in 1863."
Source: http://ielts-simon.com/ielts-help-and-english-pr/2011/03/ielts-writing-task-1-table-essay.html

 

[Matthew Wai]

I would say 'it opened in 1863'.

Not a teacher.

 

[nininaz]

I would say 'it opened in 1863'.

Not a teacher.

Thanks so much.I have some questions:

1- Can railway systems opened by itself ? used active instead of passive form?!
2- If we use "The London underground is the oldest system because it opened in 1863." so can we reduced it to "The London underground is the oldest system, having opened in 1863. "?
3- I think when wen want to use having as the reduction, we have to have present or past perfect in our dependent clause. Am I wrong?!

 

[Matthew Wai]

1- Can railway systems opened by itself ? used active instead of passive form?!

See http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/open_51 Definition#5

Not a teacher.

 

[nininaz]

See http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/open_51 Definition#5

Not a teacher.

Thanks.
How about the following questions:
2- If we use "The London underground is the oldest system because it opened in 1863." so can we reduced it to "The London underground is the oldest system, having opened in 1863. "?
3- I think when wen want to use having as the reduction, we have to have present or past perfect in our dependent clause. Am I wrong?!

 

[Matthew Wai]

I think we can use 'having + past participle' as long as it happened at an earlier time.
For example, 'Having finished the homework, he went to bed.'

Not a teacher.

 

[TheParser]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Nininaz:

I have found in Michael Swan's highly respected book some sentences that may interest you:

1, Used economically, one tin will last for six weeks. = If it is used ...

2. Having failed my medical exams, I took up teaching. = As I had failed ...

3. Putting down my newspaper, I walked over to the window. = After I had put down my newspaper, ...

4. It rained for two weeks on end, completely ruining our holiday. = ...so that it completely ruined our holiday.

I have no comments.

I shall let you draw your own conclusions.


!00% credit to Mr. Swan's Practical English Usage (second edition published in 1995), entry # 406.3 on pages 405-406. It was published by the Oxford University Press. Copyrighted by Mr. Swan in 1980 and 1995.

 

[Matthew Wai]

Putting down my newspaper, I walked over to the window. = After I had put down my newspaper, ...

Walking down the street, I saw a pretty woman. = When I was walking down the street, ...

Am I right or wrong?
Not a teacher.

 

[nininaz]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Nininaz:

I have found in Michael Swan's highly respected book some sentences that may interest you:

1, Used economically, one tin will last for six weeks. = If it is used ...

2. Having failed my medical exams, I took up teaching. = As I had failed ...

3. Putting down my newspaper, I walked over to the window. = After I had put down my newspaper, ...

4. It rained for two weeks on end, completely ruining our holiday. = ...so that it completely ruined our holiday.

I have no comments.

I shall let you draw your own conclusions.


!00% credit to Mr. Swan's Practical English Usage (second edition published in 1995), entry # 406.3 on pages 405-406. It was published by the Oxford University Press. Copyrighted by Mr. Swan in 1980 and 1995.

Thanks for your answer. I have that great book as well.
I just want to know what is the full sentence of the following reduction ?!
"The London underground is the oldest system, having opened in 1863."

 

[Matthew Wai]

The London underground is the oldest system, it opened in 1863.

Not a teacher.

 

[tedmc]

I think you need a semi-colon instead of a comma there, Matthew, as the clauses are not connected.

not a teacher

 

[Rover_KE]

The London underground is the oldest system, it opened in 1863.

I think you need a semi-colon instead of a comma there, Matthew, as the clauses are not connected.

You are right about the semicolon, ted, but for the wrong reason.

Matthew's sentence is a comma splice.

 

[TheParser]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


Nininaz:

As you know, the participial phrase "having opened in 1863" is used in formal English. If you were to speak like that on a regular basis, your listeners would consider it rather strange.

So how would we express that in ordinary speech (and writing)?

Well, I have found some sentences (on the World Wide Web) that may gives us a clue. Please look at these sentences:

1. "It is also one of the oldest farmers markets, as it opened in 1998." [farmers market = in big American cities, a place where people sell fruits and vegetables to city residents; Yes, I know that 1998 is not that long ago, but maybe that city's other farmers markets were opened after 1998.]

2. "This stadium is relatively new, as it opened in 2009."

3. "As it opened in 1986, it is obvious that it is older and more cramped [not much space] than [name of another hotel]."


If you do some googling, you will find many more examples with "as it opened" used in the sense of "having opened." (Caution: Sometimes "as it opened" does NOT have the meaning that is expressed in your sentence.)

 

[MikeNewYork]

I don't find anything overly formal or strange about a participial phrase. Your versions are OK, but they are not better.

 

[oldbei]

Hello All,
Which of the following sentences are the reduction form of the bold sentence?!
"The London underground is the oldest system because it was opened in 1863."
"The London underground is the oldest system because it had opened in 1863."
"The London underground is the oldest system because it has opened in 1863."

"The London underground is the oldest system, having opened in 1863."
Source: http://ielts-simon.com/ielts-help-and-english-pr/2011/03/ielts-writing-task-1-table-essay.html

I'd say "no. 2 is the one."

*** I'm neither a teacher, nor a native English speaker. ***

 

[Matthew Wai]

I'd say "no. 2 is the one."

I think the past perfect in 2 is not needed because there is no other act in the past.

Not a teacher.

 

[tedmc]

it had opened in 1863

The perfect tense does not go together with the date.

not a teacher