Download When Verbs Do Not Function As Action Words

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When Verbs Do Not Function as Action Words
Sometimes verbs do not function within a sentence to name an action. These special verb forms are called Verbals. Verbals
function in sentences as nouns, adjectives or adverbs. There are three types of verbals: participles, gerunds and infinitives.
Participles
Participles are verbal adjectives constructed from the present participle (verb +ing) and past participle (verb + ed or past tense
irregular form) forms of a verb. These verbals describe or modify nouns and pronouns.
In the following sentences participles act as adjectives to describe or modify the noun or pronoun:
The trembling dog was lost.
We discovered a hidden passage.
Exhausted, she decided to take a nap.
Gerunds
Gerunds are verbal nouns constructed from the present participle (verb+ ing) form of a verb. Functioning as nouns, gerunds
can the object of the preposition, direct object or subject within a sentence.
Cooking is my favorite activity. (gerund is subject)
Frank is thinking of singing in the contest. (gerund is object of preposition “of”)
My cat enjoys sleeping. (gerund is direct object)
Infinitives
Infinitives can function as verbal nouns, adjectives and adverbs and are the non-conjugated form of a verb + to.
To run a mile is my goal in life. (infinitive as noun)
Joe is the expert to consult. (infinitive as adjective)
We asked to speak with the principal. (infinitive as adverb)
Verbal Phrases
Verbals may have subjects, objects and complements. They may also be modified by adverbs and prepositional phrases.
These verbal groups are called verbal phrases.
Wearing her new green dress, Jane looked nice enough to be a fashion model.
Singing in the choir led Kelly to become an opera star.
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been written, revised, and/or edited by staff paid to perform that work for the college; therefore, the rights are retained by the college
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