Slavo

OK, the phrase I need is
"Chemical changes have been performed by man from very early times,
probably the first/earliest being the heating of clay to make pottery."

There's no need to write more info, I guess.
I'm jst wondering why after the superlative (the best, most useful)
they wrote gerund or simply verb+ing - "being".
I guess "the heating" is the subject of the clause.

Is anyone who could explain me the rule out there?

THX 4 READING IT.
Slavo

catachrest

Not sure I can really explain the rule but I'll give it a shot.

The "being" is not a gerund but a participle - ie it's not functioning as a noun in this case.

"the first/earliest [of which] being the heating of clay"

a) it is assumed the reader will understand that "the first/earliest" refers back to the "chemical changes" earlier in the main clause of the sentence. Therefore "the first/earliest" is the subject of the dependent clause above.

b) We need a non-finite verb in this phrase because it's a dependent clause. If it were a main clause, using for example 'the first/earliest are(or were) the heating of clay' then you would need either a conjunction or a semi-colon in order to join the clauses and make the sentence grammatical. Hence the participle.

c) It has to be in present tense because of the verb "have" in the main clause, which sets the sentence in the present (one reason why I hesitate to use 'were' in the example in b)

d) more than that, if one used the finite verb "are" in the present tense above, even linking with a conjunction etc as in (b), the sentence would imply that these earliest methods are continuing in the present. This is in fact the case, but there's a very subtle difference in meaning where using "being" allows the interpetation of the sentence as having more to do with the earlier era referred to in the first half of the sentence to be a little smoother I guess. I'm sorry; I know I'm not explaining this well, but it's all I can really come up with for it.

Suffice it to say that the sentence is completely correct and this is actually a fairly common construction, especially in written formal English. It's less used in common speech, though I do use it myself, being somewhat pedantic.

Slavo

Chemical changes have been performed by man from very early times,
probably the earliest being the heating of clay to make pottery.


Let me write what I understood from the explanations and you can say if I’m right.
I deleted the ’first’ just to make the sentence clearer to read. It doesn’t make a difference.


What is what:

I) noun – ”chemical changes”
II) noun of the dependent clause – ”the earliest”
III) participle (verb+ing) – ”being”
IV) gerund, object – ”heating”



Guesswork:

"the first [of the chemical changes] being the heating of clay" – dependent clause



Possible sentences:

a/ "..., the first being the heating of clay" – dependent clause

b/ "... and the first are the heating of clay" – main clause (they’re continuing in the present)





- Have I used a possible conjunction in the b-sentence?
- Is that a good example for your (b) explanation paragraph?
- I’m not sure how in my b-sentence the second clause becomes the main clause. I think it’s still the dependent clause.



Your last sentence brought an idea on my mind. (not sure is it correct )
Could you write down some short sentences with the participle and their present counterpart.
The difference between those pairs written in contrast should explain me everything.
Examples of the contrast I mean – the ’Possible sentences’ above.

Send u a THX,
It was really useful.

daydreamer0311

your two possible sentences are good, although the second should be
"...and the first is the heating of clay"

__________________
Danielle

Slavo

Yes, but cannot we mean the first as a group of the chemical changes as well?

daydreamer0311

yes, but since "first" is referring to only one thing, it wouldnt make sense to put the verb "to be" in plural form. Do you understand better? I dont know how else to explain it.

__________________
Danielle

Slavo

Never mind. I believe you and I don't have to understand it
Come what may, I'll learn the rule by heart. No plural after the single subject as that superlative.