The participle

Definition

• A participle is an adjective made out of any verb.

• Note that gerunds always end in -ing, but participles can end in -ing, -ed, -en, or any verb form.

• Participles always act as adjectives to modify nouns or pronouns.

• A participle might be by itself or it might join other words to make a participial phrase.

Can you find the participle?

The rotting fence badly needed repair.

She stared through the broken siding.

Even the cracked mirror seemed cheerful.

Can you find the participial phrase?

Approaching the camp, Eugene moved quietly.

Below he saw the mob waiting patiently.

Malcolm, climbing rapidly, ascended the cliff.

The introductory participial phrase

• There is a special type of participial phrase that we can and must master because, when used correctly, it is one of the most powerful elements that we can bring into our own writing, and when used incorrectly, it makes us sound foolish.

• The introductory participial phrase comes at the beginning of the sentence, modifies the subject, and is set off by a comma.

Leaving them behind, Crockett trudged up the path.

Gobbling his biscuits, Gollum growled at Sam.

If we break the rules, we get a disaster—a misplaced modifier.

Chewing his gum, a fly flew past Robert’s ear.

Slathered in butter, George enjoyed the pancakes.

A participial phrase is a group of words acting as an adjective, so we identify the participle as an adjective and diagram the phrase in a similar manner to other modifiers.

Composing the concerto, Mozart seemed lost in harmony.

adj. adj. adj.n. n. n.v. prep.

Subj. LVP S.C.

-----Participial phrase---- --prep phrase--