Participles and Their Usage

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Questions and Answers

In which of the following sentences is the infinitive used correctly without 'to'?

She made me to cry.

They let him leave early. (correct)

I want to see him dance.

I heard her to sing.

Which of the following sentences demonstrates the use of an infinitive after the phrase 'had better'?

You had better waiting outside.

She had better to take the bus.

You had better to apologize.

We had better leave now. (correct)

Identify the sentence that incorrectly uses a bare infinitive.

I saw him do it.

Let them come.

We heard her sing.

She helped him fixing the car. (correct)

What type of infinitive is found in the sentence: 'I would rather die than give up'?

Bare infinitive Signup and view all the answers

Which word below can precede the sentence 'She can do everything but cook'?

But Signup and view all the answers

In which case is a gerund used correctly?

Swimming is fun. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following sentences shows the correct omission of 'to' with an infinitive?

He let the dog go. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following correctly identifies a participle?

Barking loudly, the dog chased the cat. Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes a misplaced participial phrase?

It is closer to the wrong noun than the noun it modifies. Signup and view all the answers

Which example correctly illustrates the use of a gerund?

Swimming is his favorite activity. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between a gerund and a present participle?

Gerunds act as nouns, while present participles serve as modifiers. Signup and view all the answers

When should a comma be placed in relation to a participial phrase?

After the participial phrase when it begins a sentence. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following sentences contains a dangling participial phrase?

Running down the street, the rain started to pour. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following sentences illustrates the correct use of a bare infinitive?

They should respect their elders. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following options correctly identifies the function of the word 'swimming' in 'Francisco enjoys swimming more than spending time with his girlfriend Diana'?

Direct object. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes the helping verb 'need' when used as a main verb?

It is always followed by a to-infinitive. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Participles

A participle is a verbal that acts as an adjective.
Verbals are verb forms used as other parts of speech.
Types of participles: present (ending in -ing), past (ending in -ed, -en, or irregular)
Participial phrases consist of a participle and modifiers.
They modify nouns or pronouns, usually placed near the word they modify.

Participial Phrases

Participles phrases are parts of speech that give descriptive information.
Example: Badly damaged by the hail storm, a number of buses had to be replaced.
Shivering from the cold, we decided to build the campfire. (modifies we)

Misplaced Participles

A misplaced participial phrase is one that is closer to a different word than the word it modifies.
Example: Running across the bridge, the man tripped on a rock. (Incorrect, should be: Running across the bridge, the man tripped on a rock)

Dangling Participles

A dangling participle occurs when a participial phrase doesn't logically modify any word in the sentence.
Example: Sitting on the beach, the sun felt hot. (Incorrect, should be: Sitting on the beach, we felt the hot sun)

Punctuating Participial Phrases

Restrictive participial phrases provide essential information; do not use commas.
Nonrestrictive participial phrases provide extra details; set them off with commas.
Example: Competing in the regional tournament, the debate team members gained valuable experience. (Nonrestrictive)

Gerunds

A gerund is a verbal ending in –ing that functions as a noun.
Examples: Swimming is my favorite way to exercise. (subject)
Collecting* comics was a popular hobby in the 1980s. (subject)

Gerund Phrases

A gerund phrase consists of a gerund and its modifiers and complements.
The whole phrase acts as a noun.
Example: Running on the beach is a good way to tone your legs. (modifies the noun way)

Infinitives

An infinitive is a verbal that is used as a noun, adjective, or adverb.
It contains the word "to" plus a verb.
To volunteer would be rewarding. (To volunteer = infinitive)
The infinitive phrase can function like a noun, adjective, or adverb in a sentence.
Example: Infinitive as noun: To succeed takes commitment.
Example: Infinitive as adjective: The book to read tonight is interesting.
Example: Infinitive as adverb: They came to cheer.

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Description

This quiz covers the concept of participles, including present and past participles, as well as participial phrases. You'll learn about misplaced and dangling participles, with examples to clarify each type. Test your understanding of how participles function as adjectives in sentences.