English Language Arts
Grade 11
15 min
Identify participles and what they modify
Identify participles and what they modify
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1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Define 'participle' and differentiate between present and past participles.
Identify participles and participial phrases within complex sentences.
Pinpoint the specific noun or pronoun that a participle or participial phrase modifies.
Distinguish between a participle used as an adjective and the main verb of a sentence.
Analyze the stylistic effect of participles in excerpts from American literature.
Construct their own sentences using participial phrases to add detail and sophistication.
Identify and correct misplaced or dangling modifiers involving participles.
How does an author transform a simple noun like 'the man' into 'the man, haunted by his past, trudging through the unforgiving snow'? ✍️ The secret lies in a power...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
VerbalA word formed from a verb but functioning as a different part of speech, such as a noun, adjective, or adverb. Participles are one of the three types of verbals.In 'I love to read,' 'to read' is a verbal (an infinitive).
ParticipleA verbal that functions as an adjective, modifying a noun or pronoun. It retains some verb-like qualities, such as being able to take an object.The *crying* baby woke the entire house. ('crying' describes 'baby')
Present ParticipleA participle that ends in '-ing' and describes an ongoing action.The *hissing* snake was a sign of danger. ('hissing' modifies 'snake')
Past ParticipleA participle that typically ends in '-ed', '-d', '-t', �...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The Function Rule: Adjective Only
A participle or participial phrase ALWAYS functions as an adjective.
No matter what it looks like, if a verb form is describing a noun or pronoun, it's a participle. Ask: 'Which one?' or 'What kind?' The participle will answer that question about a noun. For example, 'Which dog?' 'The *barking* dog.'
The Form Rule: -ing vs. -ed/-en
Present participles end in -ing. Past participles have various endings, most commonly -ed, -en, -d, or -t.
Use the ending as your first clue. If you see a word ending in -ing describing a noun, it's a present participle. If you see a verb form like 'broken,' 'chosen,' or 'exhausted' describing a noun, it's a past participle.
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Challenging
A writer wants to combine these two sentences: 'The author meticulously researched the historical period. He wrote a compelling novel.' Which revision most effectively uses a participial phrase to create a sophisticated, AP-style sentence?
A.The author wrote a compelling novel, and he meticulously researched the historical period.
B.After the author meticulously researched the historical period, he wrote a compelling novel.
C.Having meticulously researched the historical period, the author wrote a compelling novel.
D.compelling novel was written by the author who meticulously researched the historical period.
Challenging
Analyze this sentence from a student's essay: 'Written in a dense, archaic style, many students find The Scarlet Letter difficult to read.' What is the primary grammatical error, and which concept from the tutorial does it violate?
A.There is no error; the sentence is grammatically correct.
B.It contains a dangling modifier, violating the principle that a participle must logically modify the noun that follows it.
C.It confuses a participle with a gerund, violating the 'Function Rule'.
D.It misuses a past participle where a present participle is needed, violating the 'Form Rule'.
Challenging
How does the use of the participial phrase in 'Gatsby, stretching his arms toward the green light, seemed to embody the American dream's elusive nature' enhance the sentence's stylistic effect compared to 'Gatsby stretched his arms and seemed to embody the dream'?
A.It makes the sentence longer and more formal.
B.It changes the tense of the main verb.
C.It creates a more passive and less immediate tone.
D.It links the physical action (stretching) directly to the abstract idea (embodying the dream) in a single, fluid motion, creating a more vivid and analytical image.
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