Participles Participles describe nouns or pronouns Participles Participles describe nouns or pronouns. Present participles always end in ing. Past participles usually end in ed. Participles can occur as sentence openers, subject-verb splits, or sentence closers.

In the following examples, the nouns and pronouns are underlined, the participles are CAPITALIZED, and the rest of the participial phrases are boldfaced.

Present Participles Minute fungi overspread the whole exterior, HANGING in a fine tangled web-work from the eaves. Edgar Allen Poe, “The Fall of the House of Usher.”

STANDING there in the middle of the street, Marty suddenly thought of Halloween, of the winter and snowballs of the schoolyard. Murray Heyert, “The New Kid”

Professor Kazan, WEARING a spotlessly white tropical suit and a wide-brimmed hat, was the first ashore. Arthur C. Clarke, Dolphin Island

WHISTLING, he let the escalator waft him into the still night air WHISTLING, he let the escalator waft him into the still night air. Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

Past Participles The tent, ILLUMINED by candle, glowed warmly in the midst of the plain. Jack London, The Call of the Wild

ENCHANTED and ENTHRALLED, I stopped her constantly for details ENCHANTED and ENTHRALLED, I stopped her constantly for details. Richard Wright, Black Boy

She called to him, EXCITED. Daphne du Maurier, “The Birds”

Unscrambling Sometimes the positions of participial phrases within a sentence are interchangeable: the same phrase could occur in any position—sentence opener, subject-verb split, or sentence closer.

Sometimes, however, only two of the three positions (or only one of the three) are acceptable; the other positions would result in unacceptable grammar, distorted meaning, or lack of emphasis. The following practice requires you to make the right decision about the positioning of the participial phrases.

a. was waiting on the landing outside b. Bernard c a. was waiting on the landing outside b. Bernard c. wearing a black turtleneck, sweater, dirty flannels, and slippers. Brian Moore, The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne

Bernard, wearing a black turtleneck sweater, dirty flannels, and slippers, was waiting on the landing outside.

a. lost his grip b. dropping helplessly straight down toward the far end of the trailer c. and fell free d. Malcolm Michael Crichton, The Lost World

Malcolm lost his grip and fell free, dropping helplessly down toward the far end of the trailer.

a. black b. a little house c. perched on high piles d a. black b. a little house c. perched on high piles d. in the distance e. appeared Joseph Conrad, “The Lagoon”

A little house, perched on high piles, appeared black in the distance.

The following contains more than one participial phrase.

a. all had the look of invalids crawling into the hospital on their last legs b. the passengers c. blinking their eyes against the blinding sunlight d. emerging from the mildewed dimness of the customs sheds Katherine Anne Porter, Ship of Fools

The passengers, emerging from the mildewed dimness of the customs sheds, blinking their eyes against the blinding sunlight, all had the look of invalids crawling into the hospital on their last legs.

Study the model and then combine the sentences that follow into one sentence that imitates the model. Do not change the order of the sentences.

Model: The horse found the entrance to the trail where it left the flat and started up, stumbling and slipping on the rocks. John Steinbeck, “Flight”

The cycle hit something 2. It hit a stretch. 3. The stretch was ice. 4 The cycle hit something 2. It hit a stretch. 3. The stretch was ice. 4. It happened as it rounded the bend. 5. In addition, it slid sideways. 6. Then it was tottering. 7. In addition, then it was veering. 8. It was veering toward the shoulder.

The cycle hit a stretch of ice as it rounded the bend and slid sideways, tottering and veering toward the shoulder.

Model: The sound of monotonous ax blows rang through the forest, and the insects, nodding upon their perches, crooned like old women. Stephen Crane, The Red Badge of Courage.

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

A pile of new debris cluttered up the driveway, and the tenants, gazing at the disgrace, watched with heavy hearts.