Participles

 Participles

Participles are verbs used as adjectives. Here's how:

Eliminate a be verb (am, is, was, were, are) and substitute a participle:

Present participles end in -ing, for example: speaking, carrying, wearing, dreaming.

Past participles usually end in -ed, -en, -d, -n, or -t but can be irregular, for example: worried, eaten, saved, seen, dealt, taught.

Participles are a type of verbal--a verb that can be used as an adjective. Crazy, right? 

Verbals: a verb that can turn into a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.

Poem that uses verbals:

The raging storm, replete with freezing rain,

Crashed upon my window pane.

Slipping and sliding upon concrete,

I became insecure, a retired athlete.

A known fact of life is that all things must pass.

And I’ll be as I was: a warm, purring cat.

Your task:

1. Come up with three different phrases that include a present or past participle (raging storm,burning log) (2 minutes)

      -Can't think of any? Think of any verb in its infinitive form: to swim, to bark, to kick, to cry, to break, to injure. Then add an -ed, -n, -en for past participle, or -ing for present participle: swimming, barking, kicking, crying, broken, injured. Now add any noun after your participle. There it is!

What's wrong  with this sentence?

Carrying a heavy pile of books, his foot got caught on a step.

Carrying a heavy pile of books, he caught his foot on a step.

More Practice: 

Sitting at the table, we were served pancakes and milk.

Sitting at the table, pancakes and milk were served.

Walking along the beach, there was a beautiful sunset.

Walking along the beach, I saw a beautiful sunset.

Example: Bryan was surprised to get a phone call from his sister. He was happy to hear her voice again.

Revision 1:Bryan, surprised to get a phone call from his sister, was happy to hear her voice again.

Revision 2: Surprised to get a phone call from his sister, Bryan was happy to hear her voice again.