How do you tell the difference between a gerund and a participle phrase?

A gerund phrase contains a gerund, a verb that acts as a noun and its modifiers. A participle phrase contains a participle, a verb that acts as an adjective and its modifiers. And a prepositional phrases contains a preposition, a word used to connect a noun to a noun and its modifiers.

What is the difference between a participial and gerund?

Remember, gerunds are words that are formed from verbs and used as nouns, always ending in -ing; participles are words created from verbs that can be used as adjectives or in adverbial phrases, also ending in -ing (unless expressing past tense); and infinitives are verbs that take the simple tense and follow the ...

How do you identify a participle phrase?

Recognize a participle phrase when you find one.

A participle phrase will begin with a present or past participle. If the participle is present, it will dependably end in ing. Likewise, a regular past participle will end in a consistent ed. Irregular past participles, unfortunately, conclude in all kinds of ways.

How do you tell if a phrase is a gerund?

How do you identify gerunds and gerund phrases?

A gerund is a verbal ending in -ing that is used as a noun. A gerund phrase consists of a gerund plus modifier(s), object(s), and/or complement(s). Gerunds and gerund phrases virtually never require punctuation.

The Participial Phrase and the Gerund Phrase: How to Tell Them Apart

How do you find the participle phrase in a sentence?

Placed at the front of a sentence, a participle phrase is offset with a comma. A participle phrase placed immediately after the noun its modifying is not offset with commas (unless it's nonessential). Put your participle phrase next to its noun. If there isn't a noun, you're dangling (and that's never good).

What is a participial phrase example?

Participles provide further information about the noun or nouns in a sentence, just like an adjective or adverb. Some basic participles include: The running dog crashed into the wall. The crying baby kept her parents up all night.

What is a gerund phrase give 3 examples?

The Parts of a Gerund Phrase

For example: eating (from the verb "to eat") taking (from the verb "to take") painting (from the verb "to paint")

What is an example of gerund phrase?

Gerund phrases can also function as subjects, such as in the sentence "Exercising every day keeps you healthy." All the words before the verb "keeps" are part of the gerund phrase. More examples include: Reading romance novels is relaxing. Swimming with friends helps me unwind.

What is a participial phrase give at least 5 examples in a sentence?

The boys sitting by the road were gossiping. Coming to the varsity, I came to know the fact. I was drinking coffee in a mug made of ceramic.

Is walking a gerund or participle?

Walking is a gerund here because, it is being used as a noun and not an adjective.

Is sleeping a gerund or participle?

It's definitely a gerund, in effect a noun meaning the state of being asleep. If you interpret it as a present participle, your sentence would be saying that a "pastime is sleeping", which doesn't make sense, since pastimes don't go to sleep.

What do gerund phrases start with?

A gerund phrase starts with a gerund and includes other modifiers or objects. Knowing that gerunds always function as nouns, remember that gerund phrases will also serve as nouns. We'll see them in one of four positions in a sentence: subject, subject complement, object, or object of a preposition.

How do you explain gerunds to students?

ESL students need to understand the basic idea that a gerund is an action being used as a thing or idea. When they see a gerund as an activity (a non-physical object), they begin to see the difference between the word as a verb and a noun. Examples: Reading helps students learn English.

Do you need a comma before a participial phrase?

The comma rules you need to know for participle phrases are: For participial phrases before the main clause, put a comma after the participial phrase. For participial phrases in the middle of the sentence, the phrase requires commas both before and after it.

Is crying a participle?

Crying is a present participle, formed by adding -ing to the present form of the verb (cry).

Is clothing a gerund?

Since 'clothing' is really a gerund of the verb 'clothe' it seems to have a more abstract ring to my ears, whereas 'clothes' seems to be more specific and concrete, e.g. "Put on your (specific) clothes", not "Put on your clothing" or "a clothing store", not "a clothes store".

Is playing a verb or gerund?

The first verb is enjoy, the second is play. However, this time we don't say 'to play', we say 'playing'. This is what we call the gerund form of a verb, playing, starting.

Is pastime a gerund?

Expert-verified answer

In the sentence ' Reading is my favorite pastime', the word reading is a gerund.

How do you identify a participle and a gerund in a sentence?

If you find a form of “be” followed by the -ing form, that's the present participle. For example: They've have been working for four hours. If the -ing form begins the sentence, or follows a verb or preposition, that's the gerund. For example: Playing soccer is a lot of fun!

Is singing a gerund?

In the first sentence, “sings” is used as a verb. Sara is “doing” the action “to sing.” In the second sentence, “singing” is used as a gerund and “makes” is the verb. Note: A gerund will always be used as a noun and does not replace the progressive form of the verb.

Is washing machine a gerund?

In "washing machine" -- which is a compound noun -- "washing" can be interpreted as a gerund (a machine for washing), or as a present participle (a machine that washes).

Is raining a gerund?

Raining exists as a gerund. A: "It's raining."

Is dancing a gerund?

Also, 'dancing' is the present participle form of the verb 'dance'. When the present participle of a verb functions as a noun, it is called a gerund. As we know, nouns and pronouns are used as a subject in a sentence. So, we can say that 'dancing' is a gerund.