Participial Phrase English II

Today’s Lesson Today, I’m going to teach you a strategy that professional writers use all the time, but most students do not. Once you master this strategy, you will be able to make your writing more descriptive, sophisticated, and professional!

Objective You will understand participial phrases. You will be able to: Identify one in a sentence Write your own sentences with participial phrases You need: A pen / pencil The handout RAW Book

What is it? Read the following examples of Participial Phrases and try to figure out what a Participial Phrase is. Don’t say it yet – give everyone a chance to think.

Examples of Participial Phrases Sitting up in bed eating breakfast, we could see the lake and the mountains across the lake on the French side. –A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway

Examples of Participial Phrases Sadao, searching the spot of black in the twilight sea that night, had his reward. “The Enemy,” Pearl S. Buck

Examples of Participial Phrases The sun rose clear and bright, tinging the foamy crests of the waves with a reddish purple. Count of Monte Cristo, Alexander Dumas

Examples of Participial Phrases Spencer took half an hour, swimming in one of the pools which was filled with the seasonal rain, waiting for the pursuers to catch up to him. The Martian Chronicles, Ray Bradbury

What is a Participial Phrase? What do you think a participial phrase is? Write first, then share out. A PARTICIPIAL PHRASE IS: A verb phrase that describes a noun or pronoun in the sentence Present participles end in –ing Past participles end in –ed

Sitting up in bed eating breakfast IMPORTANT A participial phrase cannot stand by itself. It is not the main verb in the sentence. For example: Sitting up in bed eating breakfast That is not a complete sentence. It is a phrase you add to a sentence.

Why? The sentence doesn’t need the participial phrase to be complete: Sitting up in bed eating breakfast, we could see the lake and the mountains across the lake on the French side. So, if they are not necessary, why do authors use participial phrases? What purpose do they serve?

Why? Participial Phrases can— Add action Add detail Describe Create rhythm Create an image

Identify the Participial Phrases Directions Underline the participial phrase in the sentence Draw an arrow to the noun or pronoun it describes

Participial Phrase 1 She was quite far from the windows which were to her left, and behind her were a couple of tall bookcases, containing all the books of the factory library. -- Hiroshima, John Hersey

Participial Phrase 1 She was quite far from the windows which were to her left, and behind her were a couple of tall bookcases, containing all the books of the factory library. -- Hiroshima, John Hersey

Participial Phrase 2 Minute fungi overspread the whole exterior, hanging in a fine tangled web-work from the eaves. “The Fall of the House of Usher” Edgar Allan Poe

Participial Phrase 2 Minute fungi overspread the whole exterior, hanging in a fine tangled web-work from the eaves. “The Fall of the House of Usher” Edgar Allan Poe

Participial Phrase 3 Standing there in the middle of the street, Marty suddenly thought of Halloween, of the winter and snowballs, of the schoolyard. “The New Kid” Murray Heyert

Participial Phrase 3 Standing there in the middle of the street, Marty suddenly thought of Halloween, of the winter and snowballs, of the schoolyard. “The New Kid” Murray Heyert

Past Participial Phrases The next participial phrases are in the past tense. Underline the participial phrase in the sentence Draw an arrow to the noun or pronoun it describes

Participial Phrase 4 In six months a dozen small towns had been laid down upon the naked planet, filled with sizzling neon tubes and yellow electric bulbs. Ray Bradbury, The Martian Chronicles

Participial Phrase 4 In six months a dozen small towns had been laid down upon the naked planet, filled with sizzling neon tubes and yellow electric bulbs. Ray Bradbury, The Martian Chronicles

Participial Phrase 5 The tent, illumined by candle, glowed warmly in the midst of the plain. The Call of the Wild, Jack London

Participial Phrase 5 The tent, illumined by candle, glowed warmly in the midst of the plain. The Call of the Wild, Jack London

Imitating Professional Authors Write your own sentences with participial phrase. Imitate the model sentences. Why? We learn from professional authors. By imitating, we learn the skill and can then incorporate it into our own writing.

Imitation 1 Whistling, he let the escalator waft him into the still night air. --Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451 _________, s/he ___________________.

Imitation 2 Amazed at the simplicity of it all, I understood everything as never before. -- “The Last Lesson” Alphonse Daudet ___________________, I understood ______________________________.

Imitation 3 The sight of Mick’s exploring beam of light, flashing and flickering through the submarine darkness a few yards away, reminded him that he was not alone. Arthur C. Clarke, Dolphin Island The sight of _________________, _______________________, reminded him/her that ____________________.

Write your own Participial Phrases Look at the picture. On the last page, write a sentence with a participial phrase. Underline the phrase.

Write a Participial Phrases Example: Sailing through the air, Marco anticipated the pain of his inevitable belly flop. Now, write your own:

1. Write a Participial Phrase

2. Write a Participial Phrase

3. Write a Participial Phrase