Participle Phrase

A verbal ending in ing or ed used to describe

Verbal

● A verbal is a verb that also works like another part of speech.

● Participles show action, so they act like verbs. But they also describe, so they act like adjectives.

Present participles always end in ing. Unlike ing main verbs, which cannot be removed from a sentence, participles are removable.

Verb (Not removable): He was clearing his throat loudly.

Present Participle (verbal, removable): Clearing his throat loudly, he stepped out from behind the bookshelf.

J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Present Participles

Present Participles and Gerunds

● Even though both end in ing, it is easy to tell the difference.

● Present participles are removable, gerunds are not.

In each pair, the first contains a present participle, and the second contains a gerund. Notice that only the present participle can be removed.

1a. Feeling so much better after the nap, Gunster dressed and went out.

1b. Feeling so much better after the nap relieved Gunster.

2a. Ralston, going down the staircase backward, was very unsteady.

2b. The cause of Ralston's fall was going down the staircase backwards.

Past Participles

Past participles usually end in ed. Unlike ed main verbs, which cannot be removed from a sentence, past participles are removable.

Verb (Not removable): A wide pink ribbon was tied in back with a bow.

Past participle (Verbal, removable): Around her waist was a wide pink ribbon, tied in back with a bow.

Bill Brittain, The Wish Giver

Multiple participle phrasesPresent Participle: The men within the door stared at one another, shifting on their boots, twiddling their fingers, and holding onto their hip belts. (Three)

Ray Bradbury, The Martian Chronicles

Past Participle: Hated by the Federalists and suspected by the Republicans, John Quincy Adams returned to private life. (Two)

John F. Kennedy, Profiles in Courage

Present and Past:Curled up inside a big one meter drainage pipe that ran under the road, she had her baseball glove in her mouth, and she was rocking back and forth, banging her head repeatedly against the back of the pipe. (1 past,1 present)

Michael Crichton, Jurassic Park

Participle phrases can be removed without destroying the basic meaning of a sentence, but notice how including them adds detail and style to a sentence. They build better sentences!

1a. He stepped out from behind the bookshelves.Or1b. Clearing his throat loudly, he

stepped out from behind the bookshelf.

2a. Around her waist was a wide pink ribbon.

Or2b. Around her waist was a wide pink

ribbon, tied in back with a bow.

Sentence Combining Practice

A pile of new debris was doing something.It cluttered up the driveway.In addition, the tenants were gazing at the disgrace.They watched with heavy hearts.

Sentence Combining Practice

The dog did something.He sat up.His mouth was clenching the rolled newspaper.He was wagging his tail.In addition, he begged a reward.

Multiple Choice Practice

The little shack, the rattling, rotting barn were gray bitten with sea salt beaten by the damp wind until they had taken on the color of the granite hills.A. NO CHANGEB. sea salt, beaten by the damp wind untilC. sea salt, beaten by the damp wind until,D. sea salt beaten, by the damp wind until

Multiple Choice Practice

Weaving in and out among the rocks, they carried the bamboo baskets on erect heads, unmindful of the salt water that leaked on their half-dried hair.A. NO CHANGE.B. among the rocks they carried the bambooC. among the rocks they, carried the bambooD. among , the rocks they carried the bamboo