Identify participles and what they modify

Key Notes:

1. Definition of Participles

• Participles are verb forms that can function as adjectives.
• There are two types: present participles (ending in -ing) and past participles (usually ending in -ed, -en, or irregular forms).

2. Present Participles

• Formed by adding -ing to the base form of a verb (e.g., “running,” “jumping”).
• Modify nouns by describing ongoing actions or states.

3. Past Participles

• Typically formed by adding -ed to regular verbs (e.g., “walked,” “talked”) and have unique forms for irregular verbs (e.g., “broken,” “written”).
• Modify nouns by indicating completed actions.

4. Function of Participles

• Participles act as adjectives, providing more information about nouns.
• They can also be part of verb phrases (e.g., “have eaten”).

5. Identifying Participles

• Look for words that function as adjectives, answering questions like “What kind?” or “Which one?” about a noun.
• Present participles often indicate action in progress, while past participles indicate a completed action.

6. Examples

• “The running water was cold.” (Present participle modifying “water.”)
• “The broken window needs repair.” (Past participle modifying “window.”)

7. What They Modify

• Participles usually modify nouns or pronouns in the sentence.
• They can appear before or after the noun they modify (e.g., “The dog barking loudly…” or “The loudly barking dog…”).

8. Practice Activities

• Identify participles in sentences and determine what nouns they modify.
• Create sentences using both present and past participles to illustrate their use.