A participle is a form of a verb that is created by adding -ing, -ed, -en, or other endings to the base form of the verb.
It serves as both a verb and an adjective simultaneously, thus embodying a dual grammatical function.
- The setting sun casts a warm glow on the horizon.
- A meandering river gathers no debris.
- Seeing this, he became extremely anxious.
- She left behind a legacy, having raised four sons.
- He is an accomplished musician.
- The child appears fascinated by the story.
- Having finished their work, they left the office.
Daily Grammar Test - Attempt Now
In the above sentences, Setting, Meandering, Having Raised, Accomplished, Fascinated, and Having Finished are participles.
Types Of Participles
Participles are of three types:
- Present Participle (verb + ing): “Arriving at the station, she caught the train.”
- Past Participle (verb + -d/-ed/-en/-t): “I had received the packet earlier than expected.”
- Perfect Participle (having + verb + -d/-ed/-en/-t): “Having finished the project, she submitted it for review.”
Use Of Present Participles
USE 1: To form Present Continuous Tense
- I am working.
- She is studying.
- They are talking.
USE 2: To form Past Continuous Tense
- I was writing.
- He was running.
- They were singing.
USE 3: To form Future Continuous Tense
- They will be painting.
- He will be driving.
- She shall be cooking.
USE 4: To form Attributive Adjective
- The chirping birds woke me up early.
- Running water is relaxing to listen to.
- The shining sun warmed the day.
- Don’t touch the rotating fan blades.
- This is a fascinating documentary.
USE 5: To form a Predicative Adjective
- The weather seems promising.
- Her singing is enchanting.
- The performance was mesmerizing.
- They saw the cat chasing its tail.
USE 6: To form Object Complement
- They caught me daydreaming.
- She found the job exciting.
- They left the room sparkling clean.
- I find the book’s ending disappointing.
USE 7: Present participles placed independently with a Noun or Pronoun
- The cat being asleep, I moved quietly around the house.
- The concert being canceled, they decided to have a movie night instead.
- God willing, I shall get the prize.
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USE 8: To be modified by an Adverb
- Quickly finishing his homework, he rushed out to meet his friends.
- Gracefully dancing across the stage, she captivated the audience.
- Carefully examining the evidence, the detective made his deductions.
USE 9: To take degrees of comparison like an Adjective
- Love is the most fulfilling emotion a person can experience.
- Patience is the most challenging virtue to cultivate.
USE 10: To direct a Noun or a Pronoun to act as an Infinitive
- Noticing the commotion, the manager intervened immediately.
- Advising her on the matter, I helped her reach a decision.
- Watching the sunset, she felt a sense of tranquility.
- Joining the conversation, he added valuable insights.
- Noting the error, the teacher corrected the mistake.
USE 11: To indicate a sense of causing or permitting something after using the verbs ‘have’ or ‘let’
- I won’t have you playing loud music late at night.
- I won’t have you using my computer without permission.
- I won’t have you smoking in the house.
- I won’t have you skipping your meals.
Some Other Examples Of Present Participles
- The running child tripped and fell.
- The singing birds filled the air with their melody.
- The cooking smell made me hungry.
- The crying baby kept me awake all night.
- The laughing friends had a great time together.
- The working mother struggled to balance her career and family life.
- The studying student prepared for the upcoming exam.
- The climbing mountain climbers reached the summit after hours of exertion.
- The swimming fish darted through the water gracefully.
- The dancing couple moved to the rhythm of the music.
- The writing author crafted a beautiful story.
- The painting artist captured the beauty of the landscape.
- The teaching teacher helped her students learn and grow.
- The playing children had a lot of fun at the park.
- The reading bookworm devoured every book she could get her hands on.
- Having finished dinner, we went to watch a movie.
- The dog, wagging its tail, greeted us at the door.
- The students, listening attentively, took notes during the lecture.
- The scientist, conducting experiments, made a breakthrough discovery.
- The artist, painting a portrait, captured the subject’s likeness perfectly.
Use Of Past Participles
USE 1: To form the Present Perfect Tense
- I have eaten breakfast.
- He has taken a shower.
- She has brushed her teeth.
- We have finished our homework.
- They have arrived at the airport.
- I have lost my keys.
- He has forgotten his wallet.
- She has broken her arm.
- We have seen that movie.
- They have visited the Eiffel Tower.
USE 2: To form Past Perfect Tense
- She had finished her homework before dinner was served.
- The store had closed by the time I reached there.
- They had already left before the storm arrived.
- He had read the book before the movie adaptation was released.
- The concert had ended when we arrived at the venue.
- The team had scored two goals before the opponent even began to catch up.
- I had completed the project before the deadline.
- They had already spoken to the manager before I got a chance to talk to them.
- The patient had died before the doctor came.
- The guests had departed by the time the host returned.
USE 3: To form Future Perfect Tense
- The concert will have ended by the time we arrive at the venue.
- She will have finished her presentation before the meeting begins.
- They will have completed the renovations by the end of the month.
- The company will have launched its new product by next week.
- He will have graduated before the summer starts.
- By the time they arrive, the event will have already begun.
- The team will have scored four goals by halftime.
- They will have reached the summit before sunset.
- He will have written the report before the boss arrives.
- They will have packed their bags before the trip begins.
USE 4: To change the Active Voice into Passive
- A book was given to him by me.
- The thief was arrested.
- Let the door be opened.
- By whom were you called?
- English is spoken worldwide by people.
- The town was destroyed by the storm.
- The song was sung by the choir.
- The cake was baked by Sarah.
- The mistake was made by John.
USE 5: To form an Attributive Adjective
- The infected computer has been fixed.
- The lost dog has been found.
- The blocked drain has been unclogged.
USE 6: To form a Predicative Adjective
- The kids seemed excited.
- The house smells freshly baked.
- The cat looked exhausted.
- The clothes seemed wrinkled.
- The window appears cracked.
- The situation remains unresolved.
- The opportunity seems missed.
- The child appears frightened.
USE 7: To form a Participial Phrase
- Enchanted by the music, she danced all night.
- Motivated by his mentor’s words, he pursued his ambitions.
- Intrigued by the mystery, they started investigating.
- Charmed by her smile, he couldn’t look away.
- Repulsed by the smell, he left the room quickly.
- Amazed by the view, they sat there in awe.
- Overwhelmed by the support, he felt grateful.
- Captivated by the scenery, they took numerous photographs.
- Encouraged by his success, she pursued her dreams further.
- Frightened by the loud thunder, the dog hid under the table.
USE 8: To form a part of an Adjective Phrase
- She displayed a painting done by her mother.
- He wore a shirt sold at a discount.
- They bought a car manufactured in Japan.
- The necklace was made from pearls.
- We visited a town surrounded by mountains.
- He read a book written in the 19th century.
- The sculpture was created by a famous artist.
- The cake was baked by the local bakery.
- They live in a house built in the 1960s.
- She received a letter written by her best friend.
USE 9: To form a Nominal Compound
- The worn-out shoes needed replacing.
- The broken-hearted girl sought solace in her friends.
- The forbidden fruit tempted the curious child.
- The lost-and-found section contained various items.
- The grown-up children visited their parents.
- The newlyweds went on their honeymoon.
- The used-car salesman offered me a good deal.
- The closed-door policy affected the company’s productivity.
- The left-handed pitcher was known for his curveball.
- It is a well-known fact.
USE 10: To convey a causative implication following the verbs ‘have’ or ‘get,’ signifying the act of causing something to be done by someone.
- She had her car washed yesterday.
- They got their house painted last summer.
- He had his report completed by noon.
- We got the window fixed last week.
- The company had its products delivered on time.
- She got her hair styled for the party.
- They had their fence repaired after the storm.
- He got his passport renewed before the trip.
- I had my bike serviced recently.
- The team got their project approved by the board.
Some Other Examples Of Past Participles
- The melted ice cream created a sticky mess.
- The fallen leaves covered the ground in autumn.
- A shaken economy requires careful stabilization.
- The granted permission allowed them to enter.
- The sunken ship remains a popular diving spot.
- The opened window let in a refreshing breeze.
- The scattered papers needed organizing.
- The chosen path led to unexpected opportunities.
- The blossomed flowers added color to the garden.
- The exhausted runner collapsed at the finish line.
- The confused expression indicated a lack of understanding.
- The twisted truth caused widespread confusion.
- The increased demand led to higher prices.
- The granted wishes brought joy to many.
- The closed curtains darkened the room.
Use Of Perfect Participles
A Perfect Participle, formed by adding “having” or “having been” with the past participle, indicates an action that was completed before another action or a specific point in time.
USE 1: When describing two sequential actions carried out by the same person one after the other.
- Having finished his dinner, he went for a walk. [The same doer]
- Having completed the assignment, she submitted it to her professor. [The same doer]
- Having cooked breakfast, I cleaned the kitchen. [The same doer]
- Having missed the bus, she called for a taxi. [The same doer]
- Having read the book, he shared his thoughts with the book club. [The same doer]
- Having taken a shower, she got dressed for the party. [The same doer]
- Having completed the marathon, he celebrated with his teammates. [The same doer]
- Having watched the movie, they discussed its plot and characters. [The same doer]
- Having packed his suitcase, he prepared for his trip. [The same doer]
- Having written the report, she proofread it for errors. [The same doer]
USE 2: In the scenario of two actions performed by different individuals, one after the other.
- The baby having cried, the parents rushed to the nursery.
- The alarm having sounded, the students assembled in the courtyard.
- The storm having passed, the workers resumed their tasks.
- The match being struck, the candles flickered to life.
- The music having stopped, the audience erupted into applause.
- The train having departed, the commuters dispersed to their platforms.
- The chef having prepared the ingredients, the waiters began serving the dishes.
- The speech having concluded, the audience started to leave the auditorium.
- The news having spread, the neighbors gathered to discuss the event.
Gerund Vs Participle
Gerund | Participle |
---|---|
She enjoys singing in the shower. | Singing in the shower, she feels relaxed. |
They dislike arguing in public. | Arguing in public makes them uncomfortable. |
The children are fond of playing outdoors. | Playing outdoors, the children forget time. |
He admitted lying about his whereabouts. | Lying about his whereabouts, he felt guilty. |
Jane regrets leaving her keys at home. | Leaving her keys at home caused her trouble. |
They avoid discussing politics at dinner. | Discussing politics at dinner ruins their mood. |
The professor encouraged participating in class. | Participating in class improved their grades. |
She imagined travelling to exotic places. | Travelling to exotic places excited her immensely. |
They started learning a new language. | Learning a new language was challenging at first. |
He considered quitting his job. | Quitting his job was a difficult decision. |
The team practiced shooting hoops. | Shooting hoops during practice improved their skills. |
Despite the rain, they continued playing soccer. | Despite the rain, they continued playing soccer. |
She apologized for forgetting the appointment. | Forgetting the appointment, she felt embarrassed. |
The chef recommended adding salt to taste. | Adding salt to taste enhances the flavors. |
I recall meeting her at the conference. | Meeting her at the conference was a memorable experience. |
Participles Exercise
A. Fill in the blanks with the Present Participle or Past Participle forms of the verbs given in the brackets:
- They were __________ by the stunning view of the mountains. (amaze)
- The ________ cake was delicious. (bake)
- The ________ children played happily in the park. (laugh)
- The ________ books were neatly arranged on the shelf. (read)
- The ________ flowers added beauty to the garden. (bloom)
- The ________ child won the singing competition. (talent)
- The ________ manuscript was discovered in the library. (ancient)
- The ________ actor received an award for his performance. (talented)
- The ________ bananas were used to make the smoothie. (ripe)
- The ________ car was parked in the driveway. (polish)
Answers:
- They were amazed by the stunning view of the mountains.
- The baked cake was delicious.
- The laughing children played happily in the park.
- The read books were neatly arranged on the shelf.
- The blooming flowers added beauty to the garden.
- The talented child won the singing competition.
- The ancient manuscript was discovered in the library.
- The talented actor received an award for his performance.
- The ripe bananas were used to make the smoothie.
- The polished car was parked in the driveway.
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