Identify participles and what they modify
Key notes:
What is a Participle? |
- A participle is a form of a verb used as an adjective to describe a noun or pronoun. π
- It tells us what kind or which one.
π Example: The smiling girl waved at me.
(“Smiling” = participle, describes the noun “girl”)
Types of Participles |
- Present Participle (-ing form)
- Ends in -ing
- Shows an action that is happening or ongoing.
- Example: The barking dog woke us up. πΆ
- Past Participle (-ed, -en, irregular forms)
- Often ends in -ed, -en, -t, -n, -d
- Shows a completed action.
- Example: The broken window needs repair. πͺ
What Do Participles Modify? |
- Participles modify nouns or pronouns by adding details.
- Ask: Which one? What kind?
π Example 1: The excited students cheered loudly. π
(“Excited” modifies “students”)
π Example 2: Frightened by the noise, the cat ran away. π
(“Frightened” modifies “cat”)
Key Tips to Remember |
- βοΈ A participle looks like a verb but acts like an adjective.
- βοΈ Donβt confuse it with the main verb in the sentence.
- βοΈ Participial phrases (participle + modifiers) also describe nouns.
π Example: The boy, running down the street, tripped over a rock. πββοΈ
Practice Sentences |
- The glowing stars lit up the sky. β¨
(Glowing = participle; modifies “stars”) - The shattered glass lay on the floor. πͺ
(Shattered = participle; modifies “glass”) - The man, holding a map, looked confused. πΊοΈ
(Holding a map = participial phrase; modifies “man”)
π‘ Remember: Participles = Verb forms acting like adjectives!
Let’s practice!ποΈ