A verbal is a verb form that does not function as a verb. One type of verbal is a participle.
A participle ends in –ing (present participle) and -ed or -en (past participle).
The participle is used as an adjective.
Here are some sentence examples of the present participle:
The dancing monkeys were fun to watch.
I saw some glistening stars in the sky.
The words dancing and glistening are usually used as verbs. However, in this case, the words are used as adjectives since they modify nouns. Dancing describes the monkeys and glistening describes the stars.
Here are sentence examples of the past participle.
I picked up the broken pieces of the vase.
The excited little boy jumped up and down.
The words broken and excited are past tense verbs. However, in these sentences, the words are used as adjectives. Broken describes the pieces and excited describes the boy.
A participial phrase is a group of words containing a verb and used to describe a noun.
Look at this example:
Soaked by the rain, Mary ran into the house.
Soaked is a verb form being used as an adjective. The soaked girl ran into the house.
Soaked by the rain is a participial phrase that begins with the participle soaked.
Here is another example of a participial phrase:
Driven by the wind, the clouds skipped across the sky.
The word driven is a verb that is being used as an adjective to describe the clouds.
Driven by the wind is a participial phrase that begins with the participle driven.
Use a participle as an adjective to describe a noun. A participial phrase begins with a participle.
It’s your turn. Find the participle in this sentence: The jumping dog barked with excitement. Did you choose the word that ends in -ing and describes a noun? Good for you!