Identify participles and what they modify

Key notes:

✅ 1. What is a Participle?

• A participle is a verb form that acts as an adjective.
• It describes or modifies a noun or pronoun.

🟡 Types of Participles:

1. Present Participle: ends in -ing
   Example: The running water was cold.
   ➤ “Running” describes the noun “water”.
2. Past Participle: often ends in -ed, -en, -d, -t, or -n (depends on the verb)
   Example: The broken glass cut my hand.
   ➤ “Broken” describes the noun “glass”.

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✅ 2. What Do Participles Modify?

• Participles modify nouns or pronouns.
• They answer the question: Which one? What kind?

Example:

• The barking dog kept us awake.
  ➤ “Barking” (present participle) modifies “dog”.
• The fallen leaves covered the ground.
  ➤ “Fallen” (past participle) modifies “leaves”.

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✅ 3. Participle Phrases

• A participle phrase includes the participle and other words related to it.
• The whole phrase acts as an adjective.

Example:

• Burned by the sun, he stayed indoors.
  ➤ “Burned by the sun” is a participle phrase modifying “he”.
• The book placed on the table is mine.
  ➤ “Placed on the table” modifies “book”.

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⚠️ 4. Avoiding Misplaced Participles

• The participle or participle phrase should be close to the noun it modifies, or the sentence can be confusing.

🚫 Incorrect:

• Running down the street, the backpack bounced.
  ✅ Correct:
• Running down the street, she dropped her backpack.