LESSON 33: PARTICIPLES · Participles are verbals that end in -ing, -d, -t or -n and act as adjectives. Examples: shooting star, frozen food, burned toast Can you see how shooting,

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LESSON 33: PARTICIPLES It's time to learn about another verbal. Remember that verbals are made from verbs but don't act as verbs.

Participles are verbals that end in -ing, -d, -t or -n and act as adjectives.

Examples: shooting star, frozen food, burned toast

Can you see how shooting, frozen, and burned are participles? They are formed from verbs (shoot, freeze, burn), they end in -ing, -n, and -d, and they are all acting as adjectives.

Participles Act As Adjectives

I'm sure you remember that adjectives modify nouns and pronouns. Since participles act as adjectives, they can modify any noun or pronoun.

Diagramming Participles

We diagram participles in a very similar way to how we diagram regular adjectives. The only difference is that participles go on a curved, slanted line instead of just a slanted line.

If you're making your diagrams with a pencil and paper, you can make yours look better than mine!

Participles can modify any noun or pronoun.

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Diagramming Participles

Participle Modifying the Subject

This frozen food tastes fresh.

Participle Modifying the Direct Object

I saw a shooting star!

Participle Modifying the Object of the Preposition

I love the taste of burned toast.


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Lesson 33 Sentence Diagramming Exercises

1. The losing team congratulated the winning team.

Hint: This sentence has two participles!

Key

The losing team congratulated the winning team.

sentence - statement

team subject (noun)

The adjective

losing adjective (participle)

congratulated verb (transitive active)

team direct object (noun)

the adjective

winning adjective (participle)


2. I can't resist the taste of peeled cucumber.

Key

I can't resist the taste of a peeled cucumber.


I subject (pronoun)

can resist verb phrase

can helping verb

resist main verb (transitive active)

't (not) adverb

taste direct object (noun)

the adjective

of peeled cucumber prepositional phrase (adjective)

of preposition

cucumber object of the preposition (noun)

peeled adjective (participle)


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3. You worked hard, and your finished product looks terrific.

Key

You worked hard, and your finished product looks terrific.

compound sentence - statement

You worked hard, your finished product looks terrific

independent clauses

and coordinating conjunction

You subject (pronoun)

worked verb (intransitive complete)

hard adverb

product subject (noun)

your adjective

finished adjective (participle)

looks verb (intransitive linking)

terrific predicate adjective


4. We found the hidden treasure and won the prize.

Key

We found the hidden treasure and won the prize.


We subject (pronoun)

found, won compound verbs (transitive active)

and coordinating conjunction

treasure direct object of found (noun)

the adjective

hidden adjective (participle)

prize direct object of won (noun)

the adjective

Extra Challenge Write sentences using these words as participles. Possible answers are on the next page.

• Missing ____________________________________________________________

• Sitting _____________________________________________________________

• Swaggering ________________________________________________________

• Prancing ___________________________________________________________

• Scheduled _________________________________________________________


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5. The challenged students happily learned about participles.

Key

The challenged students happily learned about participles.


students subject (noun)

The adjective

challenged adjective (participle)

learned verb (intransitive complete)

happily adverb

about participles prepositional phrase (adverb)

about preposition

participles object of the preposition (noun)

Extra Challenge: Possible Answers

Write sentences using these words as participles.

• I found the missing ingredient!

• The resignation of the sitting congressman surprised everyone.

• The swaggering man looked confident.

• The prancing pony rode through the field.

• The bus made a scheduled stop.

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LESSON 33: PARTICIPLES · Participles are verbals that end in -ing, -d, -t or -n and act as adjectives. Examples: shooting star, frozen food, burned toast Can you see how shooting,