Participial Phrases Mrs. Henson English III AP * Adapted from Sentence Composing for High School Students by Don Killgallon

Overview Participles describe nouns or pronouns. Participle is a verbal (look like a verb, but is not). Can end in –ing (present participle) or –ed (past participle). Can occur as: – Sentence Openers – Subject-Verb Split – Sentence Closers

Models Without Participles The sun rose clear and bright. Spencer took half an hour. With Participles The sun rose clear and bright, tinging the foamy crests of the waves with a reddish purple. Alexander Dumas, Count of Monte Cristo 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. Ray Bradbury, The Martian Chronicles

Placement of Participial Phrases Sentence Openers – Whistling, he let the escalator waft him into the still night air. – Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451 Subject-Verb Splits – Eckels, balanced on the narrow path, aimed his rifle playfully. – Ray Bradbury, “A Sound of Thunder” Sentence Closers – The entire crowd in the saloon gathered about me now, urging me to drink. – Richard Wright, Black Boy

Unscrambling #1 A.black B.a little house C.perched on high piles D.in the distance E.appeared A little house, perched on high piles, appeared black in the distance. -Joseph Conrad, “The Lagoon”

Unscrambling #2 A.with the cautious, half- furtive effort of the sightless B.and thumping his way before him C.he was a blind beggar D.carrying the traditional battered cane He was a blind beggar, carrying the traditional battered cane and thumping his way before him with the cautious, half-furtive effort of the sightless. -MacKinlay Kantor, “A Man Who Had No Eyes”

Unscrambling #3 A.and yet knowing no way to avoid it B.that winter my mother and brother came C.buying furniture on the installment plan D.and we set up housekeeping E.being cheated That winter my mother and brother came, and we set up housekeeping, buying furniture on the installment plan, being cheated, and yet knowing no way to avoid it. - Richard Wright, Black Boy