Revised as of
14 Feb 2023
Participles are generally defined as working as adjectives, as a single word, or as part of a participial phrase both before or after the noun.
Grammar Explanations is . . .
. . . an evolving list of the structural rules and principles that determines where words are placed in phrases or sentences as well as how the language is spoken. Sometimes I run across an example that helps explain better or another “also known as”. Heck, there’s always a better way to explain it, so if it makes quicker and/or better sense, I would appreciate suggestions and comments from anyone on an area of grammar with which you struggle or on which you can contribute more understanding.
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| Participle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Definition: An attributive or predicate adjective OR a compound verb formed from a simple verb.
Verbal ending in -ing, -ed, or the irregular equivalent for a verb. Other verbals include gerunds and infinitives. Of course, that’s not including the deverbal or verbal nouns, which are their own separate beastie. Rule: Used as an adjective or adverb to modify nouns, noun phrases, or pronouns in a present or past tense.
Phrases: A.k.a., participial adjective, verbal adjective |
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| Participle vs Gerund vs Infinitive: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| The main problem is that participles and gerunds look alike, especially in their -ing form. It’s all the fault of those 18th century grammarians who finally settled down to make sense of the English language. You can see how much success they had, lol. Seriously, though they did do a great job with what they had at the time.
Latin was the classic language at the time, and this is where those linguists started. Gerunds and participles were treated differently in Latin, which is why they’re thought of as different now. Today’s grammarians are beginning to refer to them as gerund-participles. It’ll take awhile for this concept to catch on, so it’s important that writers today know what the current differences are. I know . . . it’s a pain. Return to top or post contents |
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| The difference is that: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verb | What It Does | Examples | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gerund | Functions as a noun
Always has an -ing ending |
Hiking is a favorite sport in Colorado.
After running into Helen, George knew it meant a three-hour lunch. |
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| Infinitive | Base form of a verb, to ___, that functions as an adjective, adverb, or noun | She had a gift to give me.
She wanted to buy the hat. Jamie likes to hike. |
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| Participle
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Functions as an adjective
Depending on tense, it may have an -ing or -ed [+] ending |
He had hiked to Pike’s Peak.
Running into Helen meant a three-hour lunch. Jamie’s snoring was enough to keep Marge awake all night. |
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| Converting a Verb to a Participle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Legend:
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| A List of Some of the Irregular (Present and Past) Participle Endings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Tenses | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Present Participle | Definition: A verb that functions as an adjective and uses an -ing ending, usually using active voice. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Legend:
I just found the most glorious new walking stick. Has anyone shut up that damned barking dog next door! “God is a comedian, playing to an audience too afraid to laugh.” –Voltaire Get a load of the laughing girl. “A laughing man is stronger than a suffering man.” – Gustave Flaubert “If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man.” – Mark Twain “The only thing that comes to a sleeping man is dreams.” – Tupac Shakur |
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| Past Participle | Definition: A verb that functions as an adjective and uses an -ed, -en, -d, -t, -n, or -ne as in the words asked, eaten, saved, dealt, seen, and gone. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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It may use active or passive voice.
The Macmillan Dictionary and Thesaurus has a useful list of past participles while the University of Michigan has a list of irregular verbs in present, past, and participle form. |
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Legend:
He had his hair cut. The story, swamped as it was with clichés, was hopelessly unready for publication. The windows were washed yesterday. A swollen eye is God’s way of telling you to improve your interpersonal skills. Do not waste time staring at a closed door. “I like children . . . if they’re properly cooked.” – W.C. Fields |
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| Participial Phrase | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Definition: A phrase that contains a participle and related modifiers and complements and is used as an adjective (Guide) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Legend:
The dinghy, anchored on the shoals, was breaking apart as the seas swamped it. Floating in the pool, I marveled at the clouds. Biting his victim, the vampire felt a momentary thrill. Beating you over the head with examples, I hope to make you understand participial phrases. |
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| Absolute Participial Phrase | Definition: Grammatically independent from the sentence, an absolute participial phrase adds extra or optional meaning to the sentence.
A.k.a. absolute, absolute phrase, nominative absolute |
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Absolute Participial Phrase | Simple Sentence | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| See how dull the sentence is without the extra meaning brought by the absolute participial phrase.
Legend:
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| With the boxes removed, the truck was returned. | The truck was returned. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The bar having opened, we proceeded inside. | We proceeded inside. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The alternative proposal looked better because the original plan had limitations. | The alternative proposal looked better. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Given the limits of this plan, the alternative proposal seems more practical. | The alternative proposal seems more practical. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turning now to sales, there are very optimistic signs. | There are very optimistic signs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dangling Participle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Definition: Part of a participial phrase but not placed near the subject, making it difficult to identify (Lakin).
Rule: Pay attention to who/what is performing the action as well as the sequence of events in your sentences. |
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| Wrong | Right | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| While writing the memo, the phone rang.
The phone is writing the memo. |
While I was writing the memo, the phone rang. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Having been told she was always late, an alarm clock was the solution.
The clock was told it was late, and it’s a girl clock! |
She decided an alarm clock was the solution, having been told she was always late. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| When writing a sentence, the pen slipped.
The pen is writing the sentence. |
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| While racing up the hill, my tears gushed out.
The tears are racing up the hill. |
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| Driving down the street, the mansion came into view.
The mansion is driving. |
The mansion came into view as I was driving down the street. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!
Satisfy your curiosity about other Grammar Explanations by exploring its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Word Confusions, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.
Resources for Participle
Guide to Grammar and Writing. Capital Community College Foundation. n.d. Web. n.d. <http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/objects.htm#complement>.
“Irregular Verbs.” English Page. n.d. Web. n.d. <http://www.englishpage.com/irregularverbs/irregularverbs.html>.
Lakin, C.S. “Don’t Dangle.” Live Write Thrive. 11 May 2012. Web. n.d. <http://www.livewritethrive.com/2012/05/11/dont-dangle/>.
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“Participles.” Grammar Monster. n.d. Web. n.d. <http://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/participles.htm>.
Pinterest Photo Credits
People of Riddu Riddu by Marius Fiskum [www.mariusfiskum.no] is under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license, via Wikimedia Commons and has been cropped in Photoshop.
