Participles and Participial Phrases Flashcards

Verbal and Its Functions

• A verbal is a verb form serving as a different part of speech, such as participles, gerunds, and infinitives.

Locations of Participles

• Participles can appear in three ways within a sentence:
  • As a sentence opener.
  • Splitting the subject and verb.
  • At the end of a sentence.

Definition of a Participle

• A participle acts as an adjective, modifying either a noun or pronoun, and can be positioned before or after the modified word.

Present Participles

• Present participles always end in -ing.

Past Participles

• Past participles typically end in -d or -ed; however, irregular verbs may have different endings.

Understanding Participial Phrases

• A participial phrase consists of a participle along with its modifiers and complements, functioning collectively as an adjective.

Present Perfect Participle

• Formed by combining the present participle of "have" with a past participle.

Absolute Phrases

• Composed of a noun along with a participle or a participial phrase; absolute phrases are nonessential and can stand alone, often serving to open, interrupt, or conclude sentences.

Comma Usage with Participial Phrases

• If a participial phrase begins a sentence, a comma is needed after the phrase and before the independent clause.
• When a participial phrase occurs at the end of a sentence, place a comma before the phrase and after the independent clause.
• When the participial phrase is inserted between the subject and verb, use commas to set it off if it is non-essential.

Essential vs. Non-Essential Phrases

• Essential (restrictive) phrases or clauses are critical for understanding the sentence and do not require commas.
• Non-essential (non-restrictive) phrases or clauses add extra information and can be removed without altering the sentence's meaning; these require commas for separation.