Verbals – words made from verbs but functioning as nouns, adjectives, and adverbs
You have learned that some words do two jobs at the same time. For example, the possessive
noun an~ the possessive pronoun both perform a noun job and, at the same time, modify like an
adjective. The two functions are clearly illustrated in the following sentence: My younger sister's
room is a disaster. The word sister's modifies room like an adjective (tells which room) but is
modified by younger like a noun. The word sister's can perform both the noun job and the
adjective job at the same time.
Now you will study three more groups of words that perform different jobs at the same time.
These groups of words are participles, gerunds, and infinitives. Participles, gerunds, and
infinitives are called verbals. The word verbal means "like a verb." A verbal is a word made
from a verb and used as an adjective, noun, or adverb in a sentence.
I. The Participle – a verb used as an adjective
A participle is a word that is made from a verb and used as an adjective in a sentence. Because
participles are made from verbs, they look like verbs and have the verb endings -ed, -en, -t, or ing, but they modify nouns and pronouns because they function as adjectives.
Examples: I watched the laughing hyenas. (What kind of hyenas? laughing - Adj)
The collapsed bridge was dangerous. (What kind of bridge? collapsed - Adj)
The stolen car was returned to its owner. (What kind of car? stolen - Adj)
He ate the burnt toast. (What kind of toast? burnt - Adj)
Like adjectives, participles are usually found in front of the nouns they modify. Sometimes,
though, a participle can be found after the noun it modifies.
Example: The children smelled the cookies baking. (What kind of cookies? baking - Adj)
After a sentence has been classified, add a verbal check for a participle:
Example: I watched the laughing hyenas. (Check for a participle: Is there an adjective made from
a verb that ends in -ed, -en, -t, or -ing? Yes. Laughing· Participle-Adjective.) (Write P behind the
Adj label: Adj-P}.
1. We watched the rippling stream. __________________ modifies ___________________.
2. The cleaned room passed mother's inspection. _____________ modifies _______________.
3. This is her chosen occupation. ____________________ modifies __________________.
4. We heard the bells ringing. ___________________ modifies ______________________.
5. The mother soothed her crying infant. . ___________________ modifies ______________.
II. The Gerund – a verb (-ing form) used as a noun
Remember that a verbal is made from a verb but is used as another part of speech in a sentence.
The second verbal you will study is a called a gerund. A gerund is a word that is made from a
verb and used as a noun. Because gerunds are made from verbs, they look like verbs and usually
have the -ing verb ending, but they are used as nouns. This means that a gerund can perform any
of the noun jobs. A gerund can be the subject, object of a preposition, direct object, indirect
object, predicate noun, or object complement of a sentence. The examples below show some of
the ways gerunds can be used as nouns.
Subject: Swimming is fun. (What is fun? swimming - SN)
Object of the proposition: By studying, he passed the test. (By what? studying - OP)
Direct object: We like hiking. (We like what? hiking - DO)
Indirect object: The judges gave her skating high marks. (Judges gave marks to what? skating IO)
Predicate noun: Her favorite pastime is skating. (Pastime is what? skating – PrN)
Object complement (noun): The teacher called his behavior cheating.
Note: (Don't be fooled by sentences like this one: He is skating. In this sentence, is is the helping
verb, and skating is the main verb. Skating is not a gerund because it is not functioning as a
predicate noun that renames the subject.)
After a sentence has been classified, add a verbal check for a gerund:
Example: Swimming is fun. (Check for a gerund: Is there a noun made from a verb that ends in
·ing? Yes. Swimming· Gerund-Subject Noun.) (Write G behind the SN label: SN-G)
Practice: Classify each sentence. Then label each gerund with a G behind the noun job.
1. Jogging was Dad's favorite morning activity.
2. The editor gave her writing a fair chance.
3. By diving, Chad found the pennies.
4. Her idea of fun was skiing.
5. My brother enjoys diving.
6. The referee called their actions fighting.
III. The Infinitive – a verb (to + verb) used as an adjective, an adverb, or a noun
Before you study the third verbal, it would be helpful to review what you have learned about
verbals thus far. You already know several things about verbals.
1. Verbals are words made from verbs but used as other parts of speech. There are three verbals:
the participle, the gerund, and the infinitive.
2. A participle is a verbal that is used as an adjective and that ends in -ed, -en, -t, or -ing.
3. A gerund is a verbal that is used as a noun and that ends in -ing.
The third verbal is the infinitive. An infinitive is a word made from a verb that has the word to
directly before it (to run, to laugh, to see, etc.). The infinitive is made from a verb and used as an
adjective, an adverb, or a noun.
Even though infinitives can be used as three different parts of speech, they are the easiest of the
verbals to find because of the word to in front of them. The to in front of the infinitive is often
called the "sign" of the infinitive. Even though the infinitive can be used as an adjective or noun,
you will not confuse it with a participle or a gerund because the infinitive has a to in front of it,
and the participle and gerund do not. The examples below show some of the ways infinitives can
be used as nouns, adjectives, and adverbs.
Subject: To study is important. (What is important? to study - SN)
Direct Object: She likes to travel. (She likes what? to travel - DO)
Predicate Noun: His job is to paint. (Does to paint mean the same thing as job? PrN)
Adjective: The person to call is Jim. (Which person? the one to call - Adj modifying the SN)
Adverbs: The children went outside to play. (Went why? to play - Adv)
Even though infinitives are easy to find with the word to in front of them, you must take care not
to confuse a prepositional phrase beginning with to with an infinitive beginning with to. You
must always remember that the preposition "to" always has an object (noun or pronoun) that
follows it, and the "sign" of the infinitive "to" always has a verb that follows it.
noun
They have gone (to the library). Prepositional phrase
verb
I wanted to order a sandwich. Infinitive
Before you begin the question and answer flow, do a verbal check for an infinitive. Identify any
"to" followed by a verb as an infinitive. Put an I above it, and later you will determine its job in
the sentence as you classify the sentence.
SN-I LV PA
Example: To read is educational. (Before you classify say: "Verbal check for an infinitive: Is
there a ‘to’ with a verb after it? Yes. The infinitive is "to read." Write I above "to read.")
Exercise1: Write I above the infinitive in each sentence. Then classify each sentence and label
the function of each word in the sentence.
1. Jana loves to dance.
2. Hannah went to the mall to shop.
3. His favorite pastime is to read.
4. Sam knew the candidate to select.
5. To skydive is adventurous.
Exercise 2: Underline each participle, gerund, or infinitive once, and underline each verb
twice. Write P, G, I, or V above each participle, gerund, infinitive, or verb.
1. To help is the only answer.
2. The music director asked everyone to listen.
3. Our church is helping in the rescue effort.
4. Listen to the flutes during this next selection.
5. David lent a helping hand to the homeless.
6. Listening was difficult for the small children.
7. Helping made me feel good inside.
8. It was music to our listening ears.
Exercise 3: Underline each participle, gerund, or verb.
1. My son dislikes flying.
2. My son is flying to Arizona next week.
3. Mom bought flying insect spray at the store.
4. Sailing is one of my favorite summer activities.
5. The sailing fleet left from their port Tuesday.
6. We will be sailing for the islands next month.
7. By jumping, we escaped the burning building.
8. We jumped on the trampoline for an hour.
Exercise 4: Underline the verbals and identify each one with an abbreviation and function.
Gerunds: SN-G, DO-G,
OP-G,
PrN-G,
OCN-G.
Participles: Adj.-P
Infinitives: Adj.-I,
ADV-I,
SN-I, DO-I,
PrN-I.
Infinitives
1. To act is Niñon's greatest ambition.
2. The house to buy is on the corner.
3. The little children at the park loved to play.
4. My neighbor's dog loves to bite.
Gerunds
5. Today we happily celebrated his arriving.
6. By studying he passed the test.
7. Dreaming is an interesting occupation.
8. The student enjoyed outlining.
Participles
9. We watched the rippling stream.
10. The talking birds entertained us.
11. The fire department rescued the stranded kitten.
12. This is her chosen occupation.