Understanding Verbals

A verbal is a verb that is being

used as another part of speech
rather than a verb.

Verbal Phrase

A phrase that is centered around a

verb form.
This verb form is NOT used as a verb
in the sentence
It is used as a noun, adjective or
adverb.

There are three types of Verbals

Participles
Gerunds
Infinitives
Examples

The frightened cat scratched my eye.

Running seems tiresome at first.
Sometimes I like to swing and sometimes I like
to slide at the park.

Verbals

A verbal is a verb that is being used as

Participle
another part of speech rather
than a verb.
Gerund
Examples

The frightened cat scratched my eye.

Running seems tiresome at first.
Sometimes I like to swing and sometimes I like
to slide at the park.
Infinitive

Participles

A participle is a verbal that

acts as an adjective.
The crying woman left the
movie theater.
The frustrated child ran away
from home.

Participles

A participle is a form of a verb that

acts as an adjective.
The crying woman left the movie theater.
The frustrated child ran away from
home.

Past or Present Participles

Participles ending in an ing are

Present Participles
Participles ending in an ed are Past
Participles

Participles

can end in ing, -d, -ed, -n, -en, nt

will come as close as they can to the

noun they modify

can come BEFORE or AFTER the noun

it modifies

Participial Phrases

may fall at the beginning of the sentence.

If so, it will be separated from the sentence

with a comma
Example:
Bent by the wind, the tree finally fell over.

Identify the Participles in the

following sentences
The fallen tree blocked the road.
Mary had to replace the soiled carpet.
Mikes goal was hiking the Rockies.
The running water eroded the soil.
We finally got our own swimming pool.
Eating jalapeno peppers can be
painful.

Find the participles (Answers)

The fallen tree blocked the road.

Mary had to replace the soiled carpet.

Mikes goal was hiking the Rockies.

(gerund)

Participles (Answers)

The running water eroded the soil.

We finally got our own swimming pool.

Eating jalapeno peppers can be painful.

(gerund)

Participle/Participial Phrase
patterns to look for
participial phrase, Subject + verb
Subject, participial phrase, verb
Subject + verb +DO participial phrase

Preposition + OP
Article

participial phrase

participle Noun

Gerunds
A gerund is a verbal that acts as a
noun.
-Running is great exercise
-Most people enjoy eating.

Gerunds
A gerund is a verbal that acts as a
noun. (always end in ing)
-Running is great exercise
-Most people enjoy eating.

Gerunds

Not all ing words are

Gerunds

morning
evening
something
nothing
anything
everything

Gerund / Gerund Phrase

patterns to look for

Identify the Gerund/Gerund

Phrase

Swimming the mile is my best event.

I like swimming the mile.
My best event is swimming the mile.
I gave swimming the mile a try.
He lectured us about swimming the mile.

Gerund/Gerund Phrase
Answers:

Swimming the mile is my best event. (Subject)

I like swimming the mile. (DO)
My best event is swimming the mile. (PN)
I gave swimming the mile a try. (IO)
He lectured us about swimming the mile. (OP)

Identify the Gerund/Gerund Phrase

His sister was dancing in the show.

I hate practicing the piano.
I gave my moms cooking a perfect 10.
Sitting by the pool is quite relaxing.
Wishing upon a star, Sue imagined a better
life.

Answers to Gerund/Gerund Phrase

His sister was dancing in the show. (not a

gerund, verb phrase).
I hate practicing the piano. (DO)
I gave my moms cooking a perfect 10. (IO)
Sitting by the pool is quite relaxing. (S)
Wishing upon a star, Sue imagined a better
life. (not a gerund, clause)

Infinitives

An infinitive is a Verbal that appears

with the word to and acts as a
noun, adjective, or adverb
2 types of infinitives
Present infinitive (only to + verb)
Perfect infinitive (to have or to have
been + past tense version of the verb)

Infinitive Rules

Infinitive examples

Present
I like to debate.
To play with matches is wrong.

Perfect
I would have liked to read the paper.
To have been mentioned would have
been enough.

Find the Infinitives

People have always sought to protect their

rights.
The angry customer demeaned to see the
manager.
All the math teachers have papers to grade
today.
The rugby teams is ready to start.

Answer to Infinitive phrases

People have always sought to protect their

rights. (Noun)
The angry customer demanded to see the
manager. (Noun)
All the math teachers have papers to grade
today. (Adverb)
The rugby team is ready to start. (adverb)

Identify the verbals in the following

sentences and identify them as a
participle, a gerund or an infinitive.

Meditating on positive ideas brings

great physical health.
The explorer struggled to find the
remote colony.
The heated pool is great for sore
muscles