Verbals, Part I: Participles

Participles are verb forms (words we recognize as verbs, or “action” words) which are behaving as adjectives. As such, they are NOT verbs.

Verb: We were running in the race.
ADJ:  I wore my running shoes for the race.

Verb: We had finished our project by noon.
ADJ:  The finished product looked very professional.

Verb: When pushed, he had fallen off the cliff.
ADJ:  The forest was filled with animals and fallen trees.

Determine whether the underlined word is being used as a verb or an adjective.

1.	We were finished by ten o’clock.
2.	He tripped over the sleeping dog.
3.	The suspect was questioned by the police.
4.	We had baked potatoes with our steaks.
5.	They were giving turkeys to the poor on Thanksgiving.
6.	We had arranged a ride home.
7.	The band received a standing ovation from the crowd.
8.	There was a hidden meaning to his actions.
9.	The light was shining brightly on the actors on stage.
10.	Your cooking lesson is canceled today.

In the following sentences, determine where the participle, listed at the end of the sentence, would best fit. Remember: participles act as adjectives, so the participle will be modifying some noun in the sentence.

1.	The space shuttle was greeted with loud cheers. (returning)
2.	The parents named shows they found unacceptable. (protesting)
3.	My sister did not hear the doorbell. (ringing)
4.	The carpenter will show us how to fix this chair. (broken)
5.	Place the lobsters into a pot of water. (boiling)
6.	The stream crosses the farmer’s land at three places. (winding)
7.	We handed the envelope to the mail carrier. (stamped)
8.	This book includes many interesting facts about dinosaurs. (illustrated)
9.	The plane narrowly missed a radio antenna. (towering), (circling)
10.	The students posed for the camera. (smiling)

After you have finished the sentences above, rewrite them, using the participle (as it is written) as a verb.

Ex.:  The space shuttle was returning to Earth to the loud cheers of the crowd.

NOTE: the participles will all need a helping verb. You will have to use either a “to be” verb (is, am, are, was, were, be, been, or being) and/or a “to have” verb (have, has, had) in order to use the participle properly as a verb.