Lesson 226

Parts of the Sentence - Verbals - Participles

A participle is a verbalA verbal is a verb form used as some other part of speech. Source: Lesson 206 and is used as an adjectiveAdjectives modify or affect the meaning of nouns and pronouns and tell us which, whose, what kind, and how many about the nouns or pronouns they modify. They come before the noun or pronoun they modify. Source: Lesson 151. Participles end in various ways. They modify nounsA noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea. Examples: man, city, book, and courage. Nouns often follow words like a, an, and the. Source: Lesson 16 and pronounsA pronoun is a word that replaces a noun or a group of words used as a noun.
Source: Lesson 21 and can precede or follow the word they modify.

A present participle always ends with ing as does the gerundA gerund is a verbal that always ends in ing and is used as a noun. Source: Lesson 215, 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 objectsA direct object receives the action performed by the subject. The verb used with a direct object is always an action verb. Another way of saying it is that the subject does the verb to the direct object.
Source: Lesson 109, predicate nominativesA predicate nominative or predicate noun completes a linking verb and renames the subject. It is a complement or completer because it completes the verb. Predicate nominatives complete only linking verbs. The verb in a sentence having a predicate nominative can always be replaced by the word equals. Source: Lesson 102, predicate adjectivesAn adjective that comes after a linking verb and modifies the subject.
Source: Lesson 155, 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 subjectThe subject tells who or what about the verb. Source: Lesson 91 of the sentence.

Participial phrases are useful in combining pairs of sentences.

Instructions: Combine the following sentences using a participial phrase following the word it modifies.

1. The woman fed the pigeons. The woman was sitting on the park bench.

The woman sitting on the park bench fed the pigeons.

2. Jeanne finished the painting last month. The painting was hanging on the wall.

Last month Jeanne finished the painting hanging on the wall.

3. I really liked the blue sports car. The car was sitting in the showroom.

I really liked the blue sports car sitting in the showroom.

4. That man makes jewelry. He is getting into his car.

That man getting into his car makes jewelry.

5. I carefully wrapped the package to be sure it was done correctly. The package was lying on the desk.

I carefully wrapped the package lying on the desk to be sure it was done correctly.

Related links: Lessons 221, 222, 223, 225, 227, 228, 229, and 230 - Quiz