Lesson 208 - Parts of the Sentence - Verbals

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A verbal is a verb form used as some other part of speech. There are three kinds of verbals: gerunds, participles, and infinitives.

A gerund always ends in ing and is used as a noun. 

 

Example: 

Eating is fun.

A participle is used as an adjective and ends various ways. A present participle always ends with ing as does the gerund, but remember that it is an adjective. A past participle ends with ed, n, or irregularly.  

 

Examples: 

played, broken, brought, sung, seeing, having seen, being seen, seen, having been seen

An infinitive is to plus a verb form. It can be a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. 

 

Examples: 

to be, to see, to be seen, to be eaten

Instructions: Find the verbals in the following sentences.

 

1. Is Sam too busy to help us?

2. This car is hard to use and to repair.

3. Where did you go to find that mutt?

4. Oh, I didn't lock the door before leaving home today!

5. Having swum for two hours, I felt rather tired.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. Is Sam too busy to help us?

2. This car is hard to use and to repair.

3. Where did you go to find that mutt?

4. Oh, I didn't lock the door before leaving home today!

5. Having swum for two hours, I felt rather tired.

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