Chapter 7: Verbals 8 th Grade English

 A verbal is a word that is formed from a verb and acts as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.  There are three kinds of verbals: gerunds, participles, and infinitives. Lesson 1: Gerunds and Gerund Phrases

 A gerund is a verbal that ends in –ing and acts as a noun.  Like nouns, gerunds may be subjects, objects, predicate nouns, direct objects, indirect objects, and objects of prepositions.  Inventing can be dangerous. Lesson 1: Gerunds and Gerund Phrases

 A gerund phrase consists of a gerund, plus its modifiers and complements.  Like a gerund, a gerund phrase acts as a noun.  Writing Frankenstein must have given Mary Shelley goose bumps! Lesson 1: Gerunds and Gerund Phrases

 To determine a gerunds function in the sentence:  1. Circle the gerund (ends in –ing).  2. Underline the main verb twice. Label it action or linking.  3. If the gerund is before the verb, it is either a subject (S) or the object of a preposition (OP).  4. If the gerund follows a linking verb it is either an OP or a predicate noun (PN).  5. If the gerund follows an action verb it is either an OP, a direct object (DO), or an indirect object (IO). Gerund Cheat Sheet

 Calling the monster Frankenstein is a mistake.  Frankenstein’s error was creating the monster.  I like watching horror movies.  The monster was responsible for killing three people. Lesson 1: Gerunds and Gerund Phrases

 A participle is a verb form that acts as an adjective.  It modifies a noun or a pronoun. Lesson 2: Participles and Participial Phrases

 There are two kinds of participles, present participles and past participles.  Present participles end in –ing.  Creaking eerily, the door swung open.  Past participles of regular verbs end in –ed.  The deserted building was old and decrepit.  Past participles of irregular verbs end in a variety of ways.  Fallen bricks blocked the entry. Lesson 2: Participles and Participial Phrases

 Gerunds, present participles, and main verbs all end in –ing. Here is how you can tell them apart. Lesson 2: Participles and Participial Phrases ExampleClue ParticipleWhat’s that scampering sound? Could be replaced by another adjective or removed completely. GerundIt’s the scampering of rodents. Could be replaced by a noun. Does a job. VerbMice are scampering beneath the floorboards. Always has a helping verb.

 A participial phrase consists of a participle, plus its modifiers and complements.  The spied a shape lurking in the dark shadows.  Frightened by the sight, they stopped cold. Lesson 2: Participles and Participial Phrases

 An infinitive is a verb form that usually begins with the word to and acts as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.  Mars is a place some people want to visit. Lesson 3: Infinitives and Infinitive Phrases

 An infinitive phrase is an infinitive plus its modifiers and complements.  The entire phrase functions as a noun, and adjective, or an adverb.  To believe in life on Mars was common in the 1930s.  Martians might use flying saucers to invade Earth.  I took time to read an old science fiction book. Lesson 3: Infinitives and Infinitive Phrases

 The infinitive is a noun if:  It comes at the beginning of a sentence and is not followed by a comma.  It follows an action verb and answers the question “What?  It follows a linking verb.  The infinitive is an adverb if:  It comes at the beginning of the sentence and it or its phrase is followed by a comma.  It answers the question “How?” or “Why?” in relation to the verb. Infinitive Cheat Sheet

 The infinitive is an adjective if it comes IMMEDIATELY after a noun. (It modifies that noun.) Infinitive Cheat Sheet