Participle

A participle is a form of a verb that typically ends in -ing (present participle) or -ed, -d, -t, -en, or -n (past participle) and functions as an adjective or to form verb tenses. Present participles describe ongoing actions, while past participles often indicate completed actions. For example, in the sentences “The running water is cold” and “The broken vase was on the floor,” “running” and “broken” are participles modifying the nouns “water” and “vase,” respectively.

What is a Participle?

A participle is a form of a verb that functions as an adjective in a sentence, modifying nouns or pronouns. There are two types of participles: present participles, which end in “-ing” (e.g., “running”), and past participles, which typically end in “-ed” or “-en” (e.g., “baked,” “broken”). Participles can also be part of verb phrases, contributing to the formation of various tenses and aspects.

 

Examples of Participle

1. Running
2. Jumping
3. Singing
4. Eating
5. Swimming
6. Baked
7. Broken
8. Chosen
9. Fallen
10. Written
11. Dancing
12. Laughing
13. Painted
14. Taught
15. Driven
16. Played
17. Opened
18. Closed
19. Cooked
20. Forgotten
21. Hiding
22. Studying
23. Shining
24. Melted
25. Painted
26. Shattered
27. Written
28. Frozen
29. Watched
30. Prepared

Examples of Participles in Sentences

1. The blooming flowers were lovely.
2. The burned toast was inedible.
3. The crying baby was comforted.
4. The defeated team was disheartened.
5. The decorated room looked festive.
6. The demanding boss was intimidating.
7. The destroyed building was a landmark.
8. The dried fruits were tasty.
9. The dripping faucet was annoying.
10. The dying plant needed water.
11. The excited crowd cheered loudly.
12. The exhausted runner collapsed.
13. The fading light signaled evening.
14. The fascinated audience listened intently.
15. The fixed computer worked well.
16. The floating boat drifted away.
17. The flying kite soared high.
18. The frightened cat hid under the bed.
19. The frozen pond was slippery.
20. The giggling girls shared secrets.
21. The growing child was healthy.
22. The heated debate was intense.
23. The hidden treasure was found.
24. The improved design was efficient.
25. The inspired artist painted furiously.
26. The leaking roof needed repair.
27. The loaded truck left the warehouse.
28. The melting snow created puddles.
29. The painted fence looked new.
30. The shining stars lit up the sky.

Examples of Present Participles

Present Participles	Present Participles
Whispering	Skipping
Shouting	Twinkling
Climbing	Exploring
Smiling	Fishing
Crying	Gathering
Blinking	Hanging
Sneezing	Ignoring
Running	Joking
Skipping	Knitting
Twinkling	Laughing
Exploring	Mixing
Fishing	Nodding
Gathering	Walking
Hanging	Talking
Ignoring	Playing
Joking	Cooking

Examples of Past Participles

Past Participles	Past Participles
Baked	Frozen
Broken	Sung
Chosen	Shown
Fallen	Written
Painted	Taken
Driven	Given
Played	Eaten
Opened	Known
Closed	Built
Cooked	Seen
Forgotten	Run
Taught	Grown
Watched	Flown
Prepared	Thrown
Melted	Spoken
Shattered	Shaken

Examples of Perfect Participles

Perfect Participles	Perfect Participles
Having eaten	Having studied
Having walked	Having finished
Having written	Having driven
Having played	Having chosen
Having cooked	Having laughed
Having spoken	Having broken
Having danced	Having opened
Having watched	Having seen
Having slept	Having known
Having sung	Having read
Having taught	Having painted
Having grown	Having waited
Having built	Having decided
Having run	Having traveled
Having jumped	Having worked
Having swum	Having explored

Examples of Adjective Participles

Adjective Participles	Adjective Participles
Boring	Excited
Tiring	Amused
Confusing	Frightened
Annoying	Terrified
Frustrating	Interested
Exhausting	Thrilled
Disappointing	Amazed
Surprising	Delighted
Shocking	Relieved
Embarrassing	Fascinated
Satisfying	Satisfied
Entertaining	Worried
Thrilling	Relaxed
Confused	Overwhelmed
Annoyed	Shocked
Frustrated	Embarrassed

Types of Participles

Participle Type	Formation	Example	Usage
Present Participle	Base verb + “-ing”	Running	Describes ongoing actions
Past Participle	Base verb + “-ed” (regular) or unique form (irregular)	Walked, Written	Used in perfect tenses, passive voice, as adjectives
Perfect Participle	“Having” + past participle	Having walked	Indicates completed actions before another action

Participles are verb forms that function as adjectives or parts of verb tenses. There are three main types of participles: present participles, past participles, and perfect participles.

Present Participles

Present participles are formed by adding -ing to the base form of a verb. They describe ongoing actions or states.
Examples:
The running water was refreshing.
She saw him writing a letter.

Past Participles

Past participles are typically formed by adding -ed to the base form of regular verbs, though irregular verbs have unique forms. They describe completed actions or states.
Examples:
The broken vase lay on the floor.
They have finished the project.

Perfect Participles

Perfect participles are formed by combining having with the past participle of a verb. They describe actions that were completed before another action.
Examples:
Having finished the homework, he went to bed.
Having eaten, they felt satisfied.

Uses of Participle

Participles are versatile verb forms that can function in various roles within sentences. They can act as adjectives, form verb tenses, and create participial phrases. Here are the primary uses of participles:

1. As Adjectives

Participles can modify nouns and pronouns, describing characteristics or states. Using participles as adjectives adds descriptive detail to your writing, making it more vivid and engaging.
Example: The barking dog woke up the neighborhood. (Present participle)

2. Forming Continuous Tenses

Present participles are used with auxiliary verbs to form continuous tenses, indicating ongoing actions. Continuous tenses are useful for expressing actions that are in progress at a specific time or for describing repeated actions.
Example: She is running in the marathon. (Present continuous)

3. Forming Perfect Tenses

Past participles are used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses, indicating completed actions. Perfect tenses are useful for showing that an action was completed before another action or time.
Example: She has finished her homework. (Present perfect)

4. Forming Passive Voice

Past participles are used with auxiliary verbs to form the passive voice, indicating that the subject is acted upon. Passive voice can be useful for emphasizing the action or the recipient of the action rather than the doer.
Example: The book was written by a famous author. (Past simple passive)

5. Participial Phrases

Participial phrases provide additional information about a noun or pronoun, often adding detail or background to the main clause. Participial phrases can make your writing more dynamic and detailed.
Example: Running down the street, she waved at her friend.

6. As Gerunds (Verbals)

Present participles can also function as gerunds, acting as nouns in sentences. Gerunds can be the subject, object, or complement of a sentence, adding variety to sentence structures.
Example: Swimming is my favorite sport

FAQ’s