Lesson 223 - Parts of the Sentence - Verbals - Participles

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A participle is a verbal and is used as an adjective. Participles end in various ways. They modify nouns and pronouns and can precede or follow the word modified.

 

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

A participial phrase is made up of a participle and any complements (direct objects, predicate nominatives, predicate adjectives, or modifiers) like the gerund. A participial phrase that comes at the beginning of the sentence is always followed by a comma and modifies the subject of the sentence.

Instructions: Find the participial phrases in these sentences and tell what word they modify.

1. The man running slowly still finished the race.

2. The boy having been scolded finally did his work.

3. The teacher, having retired, could now travel widely.

4. The soldier, having saluted his superior, continued on his way.

5. The truck swerving and sliding hit the brick wall.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. The man running slowly still finished the race.

    - running slowly modifies man

2. The boy having been scolded finally did his work.

    - having been scolded modifies boy

3. The teacher, having retired, could now travel widely.

    - having retired modifies teacher

4. The soldier, having saluted his superior, continued on his way.

    - having saluted his superior modifies soldier

5. The truck swerving and sliding hit the brick wall.

    - swerving and sliding modifies truck

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