A pretty good sentence:
The hurdler eyed
the finish line.
Using a PARTICIPLE:
Flying, the hurdler
eyed the finish line.
Using a
PARTICIPIAL PHRASE:
Flying through the
air, the hurdler
eyed the finish line.
A word that looks like a verb but acts like an adjective. It will usually
end in –ing or -ed (and sometimes –n or –t)
It is often (but not always) set off by commas and always acts as an
adjective.
The diamond-scaled snakes attacked their prey.
The hissing, diamond-scaled snakes attacked their prey.
Hissing, slithering, and
coiling, the diamond-scaled
snakes attacked their prey.
A participle along with
any modifiers that
complete the image. The
entire phrase is used as an
adjective.
Hissing their forked red tongues, the
diamond-scaled snakes attacked
their prey.
A beam of light
swung out into the
darkness, searching.
Searching through
the fog, a beam of
light swung out into
the darkness.
Dripping with sweat and hoping with
Mark froze.
all his might that she wouldn’t call on
him, Mark froze.
Mark froze, dripping with sweat,
hoping with all his might that she
wouldn’t call on him.
No one knew
the clown,
appearing
bright and
cheerful, had
just escaped
prison.
,
Don’t confuse a participle used as an
adjective with a word in a verb phrase
Planning their trip, the class
learned how to read a map.
The class was planning their trip and
learned how to read maps.
Don’t confuse a participle used as an
adjective with a word in a verb phrase
Most of the treasure buried by the
pirates has never been found.
Most of the treasure that was buried by the
pirates has never been found.
Find the participles:
• Records, cracked and warped, were in
the attic.
• Shouting loudly, Carmen warned the
swimmers about the shark.
• For centuries the shattered ruins
remained there, waiting for discovery.
• Cheering loudly and clapping wildly,
the fans greeted their team.
Find the participles:
• Records, cracked and warped, were in
the attic.
• Shouting loudly, Carmen warned the
swimmers about the shark.
• For centuries the shattered ruins
remained there, waiting for discovery.
• Cheering loudly and clapping wildly,
the fans greeted their team.
Find the participial phrases:
• Known for her beauty, Venus was
sought by many gods and mortals.
• The bread, burnt by the new toaster,
was inedible.
• They imagined him dressed in shining
armor.
• Looking down from the top of the
building, Alex almost lost his lunch.
Find the participial phrases:
• Known for her beauty, Venus was
sought by many gods and mortals.
• The bread, burnt by the new toaster,
was inedible.
• They imagined him dressed in shining
armor.
• Looking down from the top of the
building, Alex almost lost his lunch.
Write a
sentence
using one of
these
participial
phrases:
planning the
escape
waiting in the
rain
Notice how you can create
mood, movement, and poetry
by just adding a few
“brushstrokes” to your writing.
Try another one!
For this last one, try to
make your writing come
alive.
Give your readers the
experience of falling into
your “word picture”.
Write a descriptive paragraph using 5 participial phrases for a C
(22/30 points) or 10 phrases for an A. You must use the phrases
in three different positions: beginning, middle, and end of the
sentence.
You may describe an activity suggested by a picture
from this presentation or create your own word picture
through your own story.