What is a Participle?
* A participle is a verb form that acts as an adjective, modifying a noun or pronoun.
* There are two types of participles:
* Present Participles: End in "-ing" (e.g., *running, singing, sleeping*)
* Past Participles: Often end in "-ed" or "-en" (e.g., *cooked, broken, written*)
How to Identify a Participle:
1. Look for a verb form ending in "-ing" or "-ed/-en."
* Example: "The *running* water splashed on my face." ("Running" is the participle.)
2. Check if the word acts as an adjective. Ask yourself: "Does this word describe or modify a noun or pronoun?"
* Example: "The *broken* vase lay on the floor." ("Broken" describes the noun "vase".)
Identifying the Word Modified:
1. Ask "What or whom does the participle describe?"
* Example: "The *falling* leaves covered the ground." ("Falling" modifies "leaves".)
2. Look for the closest noun or pronoun to the participle. The participle usually modifies the nearest noun or pronoun.
* Example: "The *roaring* lion chased its prey." ("Roaring" modifies "lion".)
Special Cases:
* Participial Phrases: A participle can be accompanied by modifiers, forming a participial phrase. The entire phrase modifies the noun or pronoun.
* Example: "The woman *walking her dog* smiled at me." ("Walking her dog" modifies "woman".)
* Dangling Modifiers: A participle can create a dangling modifier if it's not clearly connected to the noun or pronoun it's supposed to modify.
* Example: "Walking down the street, the house looked old." (This is incorrect because it seems like the house is walking.)
* Corrected: "Walking down the street, I saw that the house looked old."
Practice:
To solidify your understanding, try identifying the participles and the words they modify in the following sentences:
* The *shining* star guided the sailors.
* The *worn* shoes were still comfortable.
* The *singing* birds filled the air with melody.
* The *battered* old book held a treasure of stories.
* The *laughing* children chased each other through the park.