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Verbals and Verbal Phrases
What is a Verbal?
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Verbals are formed from verbs, however, they
do not function as verbs in a sentence.
They function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.
There are THREE types of verbals:
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Participles
Gerunds
Infinitives
Participles and Participial
Phrases
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A participle is a verb form that is used as
an adjective.
The rapidly developing storm kept small
boats in port.
 Developing rapidly, the storm kept small
boats in ports.
 The storm, developing rapidly, kept small
boats in port.
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Present and Past Participles
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The present participle is a verb form
ending in -ing that is used as an adjective.
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developing, crying, barking
The past participle is a verb form ending
in –ed, -d, -t, -en, or –n.
asked, saved, dealt, eaten, seen
 “The puppies, exhausted, collapsed in the
grass.”
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Gerunds
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Gerunds are verb forms that end in –ing
that are used as nouns only.
Walking is healthful exercise.
 Good writing comes from much practice.
 They do not appreciate my singing.
 We were fined for parking there.
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Infinitives
Infinitives are verbals that can be used as
a noun or an adjective or an adverb.
 Infinitives are the base verb form
preceded by “to”
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to study, to write, to hope, to be
Infinitives as Nouns
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Usually, infinite verbals are nouns.
To leave would be rude.
To leave is the subject of the sentence.
 No one wants to stay.
• To stay is the direct object of the sentence.
 Her goal is to win.
• To win is the predicate noun in the
sentence.
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Infinitives used as modifiers
She is the candidate to watch.
To watch modifies candidate and is an
adjective.
 We came to cheer.
To cheer modifies came and is an
adverb.
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