English III

ParticiplesParticiples are verb forms used to modify

nouns.The participle is a verb but not the main verb

in a sentence

Ex: The swinging sign creaked in the wind.

Ex: The unexpected guest made a speech.

Present participles ALWAYS end in –ing. They are the form used with is, am, and are in verb phrases.

Ex: is looking, am running, are reading

Past participles usually end in –ed or –d. They are the form used with have, has, and had in verb phrases.

Ex: have looked, has stopped, had hopped

A few past participles are irregularly formed (torn, sold, burnt, read, etc._

Ex: have flown, had slept, has fought

Participial Phrases Participle phrase tells what a noun is doing If the participle phrase is removed the sentence must still

make sense must be punctuated with a period/comma before AND

after the participle phrase Participle phrase has 3 positions:

1. in front of the sentence 2. the subject-verb split 3. the end of the sentence

Ex: The jogger running in the puddle is going to be very wet and cold.

Examples of Participle PhrasesThe jogger running in the puddle is going to be very wet

and cold.

The clown, appearing bright and cheerful, smiled and did his act with unusual certainty for someone who had just killed a man.

Trying to earn an “A”, tom checked the rubric to revise his paper.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park contains rolling hills blanketed by bluish haze.

Examples of Participle PhrasesThe jogger running in the puddle is going to be very wet

and cold. (present)

The clown, appearing bright and cheerful, smiled and did his act with unusual certainty for someone who had just killed a man. (present)

Trying to earn an “A”, tom checked the rubric to revise his paper. (present)

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park contains rolling hills blanketed by bluish haze. (past)

PracticeFinish each incomplete sentence by joining it

with the complete sentence next to it.

1. Waiting for your turn to see the doctor. You can get nervous.

2. My visits to the doctor always start out the same way. Getting my blood pressure checked by the nurse.

3. Her clothes being so out of style. She decided to buy new ones.

PracticeFinish each incomplete sentence by joining it

with the complete sentence next to it.

1. You can get nervous, waiting for your turn to see the doctor.

2. My visits to the doctor always start out the same way, getting my blood pressure checked by the nurse.

3. Her clothes being so out of style, she decided to buy new ones.

Think You Got it? Competition time!

Count off by 3s (to form 3 groups total)Each group will receive an envelope with 3

sentences on the outside. The goal is to combine the sentences into one

COHESIVE sentence with a participle phrase.Use the cut out words inside the envelope put

together your sentence.Once your group puts together the sentence you

must then identify the participle phrase and the participle.

Good Luck

Homework Directions: Copy the following sentences down on a separate

sheet of paper. Highlight the participle phrase , underline the participle, and note if the form is present or past.

1. Arriving at the used-up haystack, the boy leaned against the barbed wire fence.

2. A cloud shadow, drifted the breadth of Trial Valley, and

spread across the inscrutable faces of Old Joshua. 3. Lying back in the soft hay, I folded my hands behind my

head, closed my eyes, and let my mind wander back over the two long years.

Homework Directions: Copy the following sentences down on a separate

sheet of paper. Highlight the participle phrase , underline the participle, and note if the form is present or past.

1. Arriving at the used-up haystack, the boy leaned against the barbed wire fence. (present)

2. A cloud shadow, drifted the breadth of Trial Valley, and

spread across the inscrutable faces of Old Joshua. (past)3. Lying back in the soft hay, I folded my hands behind my

head, closed my eyes, and let my mind wander back over the two long years. (present)