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LESSON 33: PARTICIPLES It's time to learn about another verbal. Remember that verbals are made from verbs but don't act as verbs.
Participles are verbals that end in -ing, -d, -t or -n and act as adjectives.
Examples: shooting star, frozen food, burned toast
Can you see how shooting, frozen, and burned are participles? They are formed from verbs (shoot, freeze, burn), they end in -ing, -n, and -d, and they are all acting as adjectives.
Participles Act As Adjectives
I'm sure you remember that adjectives modify nouns and pronouns. Since participles act as adjectives, they can modify any noun or pronoun.
Diagramming Participles
We diagram participles in a very similar way to how we diagram regular adjectives. The only difference is that participles go on a curved, slanted line instead of just a slanted line.
If you're making your diagrams with a pencil and paper, you can make yours look better than mine!
Participles can modify any noun or pronoun.
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Diagramming Participles
Participle Modifying the Subject
This frozen food tastes fresh.
Participle Modifying the Direct Object
I saw a shooting star!
Participle Modifying the Object of the Preposition
I love the taste of burned toast.
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Lesson 33 Sentence Diagramming Exercises
1. The losing team congratulated the winning team.
Hint: This sentence has two participles!
Key
The losing team congratulated the winning team.
sentence - statement
team subject (noun)
The adjective
losing adjective (participle)
congratulated verb (transitive active)
team direct object (noun)
the adjective
winning adjective (participle)
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2. I can't resist the taste of peeled cucumber.
Key
I can't resist the taste of a peeled cucumber.
sentence - statement
I subject (pronoun)
can resist verb phrase
can helping verb
resist main verb (transitive active)
't (not) adverb
taste direct object (noun)
the adjective
of peeled cucumber prepositional phrase (adjective)
of preposition
cucumber object of the preposition (noun)
peeled adjective (participle)
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3. You worked hard, and your finished product looks terrific.
Key
You worked hard, and your finished product looks terrific.
compound sentence - statement
You worked hard, your finished product looks terrific
independent clauses
and coordinating conjunction
You subject (pronoun)
worked verb (intransitive complete)
hard adverb
product subject (noun)
your adjective
finished adjective (participle)
looks verb (intransitive linking)
terrific predicate adjective
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4. We found the hidden treasure and won the prize.
Key
We found the hidden treasure and won the prize.
sentence - statement
We subject (pronoun)
found, won compound verbs (transitive active)
and coordinating conjunction
treasure direct object of found (noun)
the adjective
hidden adjective (participle)
prize direct object of won (noun)
the adjective
Extra Challenge Write sentences using these words as participles. Possible answers are on the next page.
• Missing ____________________________________________________________
• Sitting _____________________________________________________________
• Swaggering ________________________________________________________
• Prancing ___________________________________________________________
• Scheduled _________________________________________________________
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5. The challenged students happily learned about participles.
Key
The challenged students happily learned about participles.
sentence - statement
students subject (noun)
The adjective
challenged adjective (participle)
learned verb (intransitive complete)
happily adverb
about participles prepositional phrase (adverb)
about preposition
participles object of the preposition (noun)
Extra Challenge: Possible Answers
Write sentences using these words as participles.
• I found the missing ingredient!
• The resignation of the sitting congressman surprised everyone.
• The swaggering man looked confident.
• The prancing pony rode through the field.
• The bus made a scheduled stop.