Participles

Verbals

Standard

ELACC8L1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

a. Explain the function of verbals (gerunds, participles, infinitives) in general and their function in particular sentences.

Participles

A participle is a verbal that is formed from a verb and acts like an adjective.

Ex. The frightening story scared the children.

Participles Act Like Adjectives

Remember: an adjective describes a noun or pronoun. It tells: which one, what kind, how much, how many.

Ex. Giant sequoias are gigantic trees. Well, participles do the same thing. Participles DESCRIBE something or someone.

Ex. The kids took shelter from the pouring rain.

What are they made of?

Participles are usually made from verbs ending in ING or ED

Ex. The creaking door slammed shut. Ex. The baked potatoes taste delicious.

Irregular Participles

Sometimes participles will have irregular endings, just like irregular verbs.

Ex. The fallen leaves look beautiful.

More Irregular

Irregular Participle Examples: hurt, fallen, shut, built, caught, sold, broken, chosen, frozen, stolen, eaten, grown, shaken, written, and more…

Ex. The custom-built counter tops are fantastic! Ex. The half-eaten muffin sat on the counter.

Participle Phrase

Participle Phrases: A participle phrase includes a participle and all of the words that complete it. In this case, the whole phrase is acting like a participle.

Ex. Swooping and soaring, the eagle flew

through the sky. Ex. The kids saw a shape lurking in the shadows.

Punctuation

If the participial phrase comes first in the sentence, it needs to be followed by a comma.

Ex. Dashing through the field, the deer fled from

the hunters.

Punctuation

If it comes somewhere else, and it does not seem to be interrupting the sentence, it probably doesn’t need a comma

Ex. I see a cloud resembling a rabbit.

Punctuation

If it does seem to be interrupting, it needs commas around it.

Did Jason, knowing the rules we discussed, go to

the R-rated movie without permission?

Find the Participles or Participial Phrases

1. A boy named Tommy just moved into my school.

2. Playing with the ribbon, the kitten bounded across the floor.

3. The broken glass might cut someone! 4. The hopping bunnies nibbled on clover. 5. Relaxed by the classical music, the fussy baby

drifted off to sleep.