1. Participles and Participial Phrases
Verbals, Part II

2. Today’s Purpose
Students will be able to define and identify participles and participial phrases.
A verbal is a word that is formed from a verb, but acts as
another part of speech.
A participle is a type of verbal.
Are you taking notes?
Okay, let’s repeat the definition of a verbal together at the count of three.
1,2,3...

3. Definition of a Participle
A participle is a verbal that acts as an adjective.
A present participle ends in –ing
A past participle ends in –ed (regular verbs) or an irregular past tense ending
By the way, what is an adjective? Remind your row partner.

4. Participle or Verb? That dripping faucet is so annoying!
You are dripping water all over the floor!

5. Participle or Verb? That dripping faucet is so annoying!
In this sentence, dripping is a participle. It ends in –ing (like
a verb), but it describes the faucet – so it is acting as an
adjective.
You are dripping water all over the floor!
In this sentence, dripping is a verb. It is not describing a
noun; it is showing action.

6. Participle or Verb? Oh no! Sally fell and cracked the window!
That cracked window will have to be replaced.
Which sentence contains a participle – one or two? Hold up
your fingers!

7. Participle or Verb? Oh no! Sally fell and cracked the window!
That cracked window will have to be replaced.
Which sentence contains a participle – one or two? Hold up
your fingers!
If you held up two fingers: yay!
In sentence two, cracked is a participle. It acts as an
adjective describing the window.

8. Quick Practice - In your notes, write the
participle in each sentence. If there is no
participle, write “no participle.”
1. The crying baby woke the whole house up.
2. I need to stop and fix this broken wheel.
3. I was running down the street when I tripped on a rock.
4. I am afraid to go into that deserted building.
5. Stop spilling cereal all over my laptop!
Ready for corrections?

9. Quick Practice - In your notes, write the
participle in each sentence. If there is no
participle, write “no participle.”
1. The crying baby woke the whole house up.
2. I need to stop and fix this broken wheel.
3. I was running down the street when I tripped on a rock.
4. I am afraid to go into that deserted building.
5. Stop spilling cereal all over my laptop!
_________
_______
No Participle
____________
No Participle
Ready for corrections?

10. Screaming like a banshee, my little brother ran into the room.
Participial Phrases
A participial phrase is made up of a participle
and its modifiers.
Screaming like a banshee, my little brother ran into the room.
“Screaming like a banshee” is a participial phrase that describes
my little brother.
Yiiii!

11. Another Example of a Participial Phrase
The firefighter, risking his life, saved the children
from the fire.
“Risking his life” is a participial phrase, because it contains
the present participle “risking,” but the entire phrase is
used to describe the fireman.

12. Participial Phrase Practice
In your notes, write the participial phrase in each sentence.
Breathing searing fire, the dragon attacked the village.
The villagers ran, trembling in fear and amazement.
The dragon, belching smoke, pursued them.
The villagers, being very slow and puny, could not escape.
Satisfied after his large meal, the dragon took a nap.
Ready for corrections?

13. Participial Phrase Practice
In your notes, write the participial phrase in each sentence.
Breathing searing fire, the dragon attacked the village.
The villagers ran, trembling in fear and amazement.
The dragon, belching smoke, pursued them.
The villagers, being very slow and puny, could not escape.
Satisfied after his large meal, the dragon took a nap.
_________________________
________________________________________
__________________
_____________________________
________________________________

14. Dangling Participles
Participial phrases can be confusing if they do not describe the
noun DIRECTLY before or after them.
Beware of the dreaded “DANGLING PARTICIPLE”!
The little girl was walking her dog wearing pink sunglasses.
The little girl wearing pink sunglasses was walking her dog. ? or

15. Assignment: Write the participle or participial phrase in each sentence. This will be turned in.
Marsha cut her foot on the shattered glass.
Hoping to make a good impression, Jake dressed up for his date.
My dad, believing he is hilarious, tells terrible jokes.
The howling wind rattled the windows.
It’s good to see your smiling face again!
Tarzan, swinging through the branches, rushed to Jane’s aid.
I am all worn out from that exhausting test!

16. Corrections Marsha cut her foot on the shattered glass.
Hoping to make a good impression, Jake dressed up for his date.
My dad, believing he is hilarious, tells terrible jokes.
The howling wind rattled the windows.
It’s good to see your smiling face again!
Tarzan, swinging through the branches, rushed to Jane’s aid.
I am all worn out from that exhausting test!