HOMEVerbals
1. Gerunds
A verbal is a word formed from a verb but functioning as a different part ofspeech.
A gerund is a verbal ending in -ing that functions as a noun.
Like an ordinary single-word noun, a gerund may be used as a
SUBJECTDIRECT OBJECTRETAINED OBJECT SUBJECTIVE COMPLEMENTOBJECT OF PREPOSITION APPOSITIVE DELAYED APPOSITIVE In the example below, thegerund phrase renames the subject, this.
NOTE: Do not confuse gerunds with verbs (predicates) in the progressivetense.
GERUND
PREDICATE VERB
Even though is cooking and wasscratching end in -ing, they are not gerunds because they areused as predicate verbs, not as nouns.
2. Participles
A verbal is a word formed from a verb but functioning as a different part ofspeech.
A participle is a verbal that functions as an adjective.
Two kinds of participles:
A. Present participles, always ending in -ing,are created from the form of a verb used with the verb to be ( am,is, are, was, were, been) as an auxiliary verb (progressive tense).
Removing the auxiliary verb and using the -ing form of the main verb as an adjective produces a present participle.
B. Past participles, usually ending in-ed or -en, are created from the form of a verb usedwith the verb to be as an auxiliary verb (passive voice).
Removing the auxiliary verb and using the -en form of the main verb as an adjective produces a past participle.
Past participles may also be part of a participial phrase.
Participles and participial phrases should be placed near the nouns they modify. They may either precede or follow a noun.
For punctuation rules used with participles and participial phrases, follow this
link.3. Infinitives
A verbal is a word formed from a verb but functioning as a different part ofspeech.
An infinitive is a verbal formed by placing to in frontof the simple present form of a verb.
Examples:
toswim tothink toread tobe tocut to turn
Infinitives may function as adjectives, adverbs, or nouns.
A. Adjectival infinitives
Just like a single-word adjective, an infinitive used as an adjective alwaysdescribes a noun.
An adjectival infinitive always follows the noun it describes.
EXAMPLE
Like gerunds and participles, infinitives mayincorporate other words as part of their phrase.
EXAMPLE
B. Adverbial infinitives
Just like a single-word adverb, an infinitive used as an adverb alwaysdescribes a verb.
An adverbial infinitive usually occurs at the beginning or at the end of asentence and does not need to be near the verb it describes.
EXAMPLE: Adverbial infinitive at sentence beginning
EXAMPLE: Adverbial infinitive at sentence end
HINT: You can always identify an adverbial infinitive byinserting the test words in order in front of
infinitive. If the words in order make sense, the infinitiveis adverbial.
PUNCTUATION NOTE:
1. Use a comma after the adverbial infinitive whenit starts a sentence.
2. Do not separate the adverbial infinitive from therest of the sentence if the infinitive ends the
sentence.
C. Nominal infinitives
Like a single-word noun, a nominal infinitive may function as a
SUBJECT
DIRECT OBJECT
RETAINED OBJECT
SUBJECTIVE COMPLEMENT
APPOSITIVE
DELAYED APPOSITIVE
