Level 9 : Verbal and Phrases
Verbals
When is a verb not a verb?
When it is verbal.

You remember that in English there are only four forms of each verb: the present, the present participle, the past, and the past participle. Sometimes when you see these forms in a sentence, they are not actually being used as verbs.

Definition: A verbal (or non-finite verb) is a verb form that is not being used as a verb. Verbals can act as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. There are three types of verbals: the present participle, the past participle, and the infinitive, which is formed by putting to in front of the present tense form. (A verb being a verb is called a finite verb.)

EXAMPLE
Verb:We were walking along the midway at the carnival. Verbal: Walking along the midway at the carnival, we ate our funnel cakes. (present participle)
Verb: All that dancing tired me out. Verbal: Tired out by all that dancing, I went home and collapsed. (past participle)
Verb: We always sing the National Anthem at the ball game. Verbal: I really like to sing. (to + present = infinitive)

Participles and Participial Phrases
Participles
Definition: A participle is a form of a verb that needs a helping verb. There are two participles, the present participle and the past participle.

Present	Present Participle
dance(s)	dancing
eat(s)	eating
become(s)	becoming
Past	Past Participle
danced	danced
ate	eaten
became	become

The present participle of all verbs ends in ing. The past participle of regular verbs ends in ed. The past participles of irregular verbs have different forms.

In order to work as a verb in a sentence, all participles must have a helping verb. A participle without a helping verb is being used as either a participle or a gerund. (We'll get to gerunds later.)

Used as a verb:
We were singing as we walked along the sidewalk. Peter was laughing and fell out of his chair.
Used as a participle:
Singing, we walked along the sidewalk. Peter, laughing, fell out of his chair.

 

 

Past participles and present participles can be used as adjectives in sentences. When used as adjectives, we identify them as participles instead of verbs.

EXAMPLE
The burning sun beat down on us. (burning tells what kind of sun)
The broken flowerpot lay on the ground. (broken tells what kind of flowerpot)
The museum was closed when we got there. (closed is a predicate adjective describing museum)

Participial Phrases
Definition: A participial phrase is made up of the participle along with its objects and modifiers.

EXAMPLE
Singing a silly song, we walked along the sidewalk.
Peter, laughing at Allie's joke, fell out of his chair.

Participial phrases act as adjectives because they modify nouns.

EXAMPLE
Singing a silly song, we walked along the sidewalk. (Singing a silly song describes "we".)
Peter, laughing at Allie's joke, fell out of his chair. (Laughing at Allie's joke describes Peter.)

Restrictive and Non restrictive Phrases
Definition: A phrase is restrictive (also called essential) if it narrows down the word it modifies. It tells which one of a noun you are writing about. A restrictive phrase is necessary to the meaning of the sentence. Restrictive phrases do not have commas around them.

EXAMPLE
The man wearing the white jacket is our coach.
There are several men.  'Wearing the white jacket' restricts which man is the coach. If we take the phrase out, we don't know who the coach is.

Nonrestrictive Phrase
Definition: A phrase is nonrestrictive (also called nonessential) if we know exactly who or what is being written about without the phrase. A nonrestrictive phrase is simply adding extra information. Nonrestrictive phrases need commas around them.

EXAMPLE
Mr. Davis, wearing a white jacket, is our coach.
We know Mr. Davis is the coach. We are adding that he is wearing a white jacket. If we take the phrase out, we still know that Mr. Davis is the coach.

Gerunds and Gerund Phrases
Gerund
Definition: A gerund is a verbal that uses the present participle of a verb (the ing form) but acts as a noun. It can act as a subject, a subject complement, a direct object, an indirect object, or an object of a preposition.

EXAMPLE
Reading is my favorite activity. (gerund as a subject)
Julie's best subject is writing. (gerund as a subject complement)
Carlos really enjoys biking. (gerund as a direct object)
Maria gives singing all her attention. (gerund as an indirect object)
I got this bruise from fencing. (gerund as the object of a preposition)

Hint:
Watch out for present participles used as participles (adjectives).

EXAMPLE
Participle:	Let's meet at the bowling alley. (Bowling describes alley.)
Gerund:	On the weekends, I go bowling. (Bowling is acting as a noun.)

Gerund Phrase
Definition: A gerund phrase is the gerund plus its object and modifiers.

EXAMPLE
Reading mystery novels is my favorite activity. (gerund phrase as a subject)
Julie's best subject is creative writing. (gerund phrase as a subject complement)
Carlos really enjoys biking through the mountains. (gerund phrase as a direct object)
I got this bruise from fencing with my instructor. (gerund phrase as the object of a preposition)

Hint:
If you're not sure if a word or phrase is a gerund, replace it with the word something. Since a gerund is a noun, replacing it with a pronoun should work.

EXAMPLE
Playing the banjo is a skill I am learning.
Something is a skill I am learning.

Note:
Because a gerund is a noun, it requires a possessive noun or pronoun before it.

 

EXAMPLE
Johnny's swimming has improved this last year. Not: Johnny swimming has improved this last year.
I think that our swimming will be even better next year. Not: I think that us swimming will be even better next year.

Lesson 5 : Infinitives and Infinitive Phrases
Infinitive
Definition: An infinitive is a verb that has not been conjugated (changed to show person or tense). In English, infinitives generally use to with the base (present) form of the verb. The infinitive can work as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.

Noun:	To drive would be my first choice. Mom's first choice is to fly.
Adjective:	Watermelons are good fruits to eat.
Adverb:	We used our binoculars to see.

 

Sometimes the infinitive uses the perfect, progressive, or passive form of the verb.

EXAMPLE
I want those books to be read. (passive)
By tomorrow, I want those books to have been read. (perfect passive)
By tomorrow, I want you to be reading your books. (progressive)
By Friday I expect you to have started your reports. (perfect)

Infinitive Phrase
Definition: An infinitive phrase is made up of the infinitive verb with its object and modifiers.

Noun:	To drive to Chicago would be my first choice. Mom's first choice is to fly to her hometown.
Adjective:	Watermelons are good fruits to eat when you are hot.
Adverb:	We used our binoculars to see the dolphins in the ocean.

Negative adverbs
Sometimes an infinitive verb will have an adverb like not or never before the verb itself. It is part of the infinitive phrase.

EXAMPLE
I told your father not to bring your puppy when he came to pick you up.
I warned you never to drive without your driver's license.

Hint:
The word to is also a preposition. If the word to is before a verb, it is part of an infinitive. If the word to is before any other word, it is probably a preposition.

EXAMPLE
I asked you to bring the book you borrowed. (Bring is a verb; to bring is an infinitive.)
I took my little sister to the movies. (To the movies is a prepositional phrase.)

To split or not to split?
Definition: An infinitive with an adverb between the two parts is called a split infinitive. The adverb is often part of the infinitive.

Is it best to not split infinitives?
Is it best not to split infinitives?

Some teachers teach this as a hard and fast rule. They believe it is preferable to keep the two parts of the infinitive together unless the result is awkward. This seems to be another example of overkill of a rule. Sometimes it is better not to split the infinitive. Sometimes splitting it is the best way to write the idea.

In formal writing, rewording a sentence to avoid a split infinitive is often the best choice.

EXAMPLE
I need to quickly stop for some gas before we leave. (could work)
I need to stop quickly for some gas before we leave. (better in formal writing)

EXAMPLE
Heather likes to before choir warm up her voice. (doesn't work)
Heather likes to warm up her voice before choir. (better)
Before choir, Heather likes to warm up her voice.  (better)

Classifying Verbals and Verbal Phrases

Participles	present participle and past participle forms - acting as an adjective The tiger walking toward us is the oldest cub.
Gerunds	present participle - acting as a noun I really enjoy painting ceramics.
Infinitives	infinitive form (to walk) -acting as a noun, adjective, or adverb My grandfather is learning to skydive.