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PARTICIPLES - Questions & Answers

A State whether the -ing word in each of these sentences functions as a verb or an adjective.

1. He was working fast to make up for the lost time. Answer: Verb

2. The book cover has the figure of a dancing man. Answer: Adjective

3. I have designed a working model of a water turbine. Answer: Adjective

4. The couples were dancing after the dinner. Answer: Verb

5. The sleeping baby looked perfectly at peace. Answer: Adjective

6. The sight of the rising sun invigorates me like nothing else. Answer: Adjective

7. She was sleeping when I reached her house. Answer: Verb

8. The teacher entered the classroom smiling. Answer: Adjective

B State the function of the past participle in each of these sentences: participial adjective, part of a perfect participle, or part of a finite verb phrase.

1. Tanya will have come back from school by the time we reach home. Answer: Part of a finite verb phrase

2. We were asked to submit a written response to the queries in a week. Answer: Participial adjective

3. The performers were given a standing ovation. Answer: Part of a finite verb phrase

4. Having won the first three matches, we were very confident. Answer: Part of a perfect participle

5. The police officers had an exasperated look on their faces. Answer: Participial adjective

6. Excited by the news, the children hugged their mother. Answer: Participial adjective

7. Having done well in her exams, Sruthi looked very cheerful. Answer: Part of a perfect participle

8. Andrews sounded quite demotivated when I met him last evening. Answer: Participial adjective

C Identify the participle in each of these sentences and state whether it is a present or a past participle. Also, write what feature of adjectives each of them shows.

1. The house had newly painted walls. Answer: Painted (Past Participle); Used attributively

2. Ms Shefali appeared embarrassed. Answer: Embarrassed (Past Participle); Used predicatively

3. The landscape looked pleasing from the moving train. Answer: Pleasing (Present Participle) - Used predicatively; Moving (Present Participle) - Used attributively

4. The story took an interesting turn after the villain's entry. Answer: Interesting (Present Participle); Used attributively

5. This is easily the most rewarding trip I have ever had. Answer: Rewarding (Present Participle); Superlative form

6. The young leader delivered an inspiring speech. Answer: Inspiring (Present Participle); Used attributively

7. You seem an intriguing person. Answer: Intriguing (Present Participle); Used attributively

8. The children looked tired after a long day in the field. Answer: Tired (Past Participle); Used predicatively

D Combine each set of these sentences using a participle to make one sentence.

1. Ryan had nothing better to do. He went to the cinema. Answer: Having nothing better to do, Ryan went to the cinema.

2. The students were taught well. The students did well in the exams. Answer: Taught well, the students did well in the exams.

3. Ira had changed her mind. She did not post the letter. Answer: Having changed her mind, Ira did not post the letter.

4. I was walking down the road. The trees were beautiful. Answer: Walking down the road, I saw the beautiful trees.

5. It was a bright day. We went to the beach. Answer: It being a bright day, we went to the beach.

6. I had nothing good to wear for the interview. I went shopping. Answer: Having nothing good to wear for the interview, I went shopping.

7. We'd already made the plan. We didn't want to change it at the last minute. Answer: Having already made the plan, we didn't want to change it at the last minute.

8. Zeenat missed her train. Zeenat took a taxi home. Answer: Having missed her train, Zeenat took a taxi home.

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Quick Review Flashcards - Click to flip and test your knowledge!
Question
What dual characteristics do participles show depending on their usage?
Answer
Participles can show the characteristics of both verbs and adjectives.
Question
In the sentence 'The flying object attracted everyone's attention,' what is the function of the word 'flying'?
Answer
It is an adjective modifying the noun 'object'.
Question
In the sentence 'The aeroplane was flying over the sea,' what is the function of the word 'flying'?
Answer
It is a verb, part of a verb phrase.
Question
What are the three main types of participles in English?
Answer
The present participle, the past participle, and the perfect participle.
Question
How is the present participle always formed?
Answer
It is formed by adding '-ing' to the base form of a verb.
Question
The present participle is used to form _____ tenses for finite verbs to show that an action is in progress.
Answer
continuous
Question
Identify the function of 'singing' in the sentence: 'Rafiq is singing his favourite song.'
Answer
It is part of a verb phrase, forming the present continuous tense.
Question
What is the function of 'moving' in the sentence: 'She lowered her feet in the moving water'?
Answer
It is a participial adjective, describing the noun 'water'.
Question
What is another term for participles that are used as adjectives to describe nouns?
Answer
Verbal adjectives or participial adjectives.
Question
Do the past participles of all verbs have the same ending?
Answer
No, only regular verbs typically end in '-ed'; irregular verbs have varied endings.
Question
Give an example of a past participle ending for a regular verb.
Answer
danced, smiled, talked.
Question
Give an example of a past participle ending for an irregular verb.
Answer
taught, woken, read, eaten, flown.
Question
The past participle is used to form the _____ tenses for finite verbs.
Answer
perfect
Question
Identify the function of 'repaired' in the sentence: 'The mechanic has repaired the car.'
Answer
It is part of a verb phrase, forming the present perfect tense.
Question
Besides forming perfect tenses, what is another key verbal function of the past participle?
Answer
It is used to form the passive voice.
Question
Identify the function of 'found' in the sentence: 'Many turtles were found on the beach.'
Answer
It is part of a passive verb form.
Question
What is the function of 'broken' in the sentence: 'I collected the broken glass pieces in a jute bag'?
Answer
It is a participial adjective, describing the noun 'glass'.
Question
What is the function of 'puzzled' in the sentence: 'She had a puzzled expression on her face'?
Answer
It is a participial adjective, describing the noun 'expression'.
Question
Term: Perfect Participle
Answer
A participle form used to emphasize that an action has been completed before another action starts.
Question
How is the perfect participle formed?
Answer
By putting the present participle 'having' before a past participle.
Question
Complete the sentence using a perfect participle: '_____ the film, I switched off the TV.'
Answer
Having watched
Question
When a participle is used before a noun to describe it, what is this usage called?
Answer
Attributive use.
Question
Provide an example of a participial adjective used attributively.
Answer
He is a married man now.
Question
When a participle is used as a subject complement after a linking verb, what is this usage called?
Answer
Predicative use.
Question
Provide an example of a participial adjective used predicatively.
Answer
The idea sounds interesting.
Question
Like typical adjectives, participles can usually be modified by adverbs such as _____ and _____.
Answer
very, extremely
Question
Can participial adjectives have comparative and superlative forms?
Answer
Yes, for example, 'more exciting' and 'most surprised'.
Question
What often follows a passive verb form that helps distinguish it from a predicative participial adjective?
Answer
An object complement or a 'by' agent phrase.
Question
In 'We were tired of waiting,' is 'tired' a participial adjective or part of a passive verb?
Answer
It is a participial adjective used predicatively.
Question
In 'We were rather embarrassed by her behaviour,' is 'embarrassed' a participial adjective or part of a passive verb?
Answer
It is part of a passive verb form, indicated by the agent 'by her behaviour'.
Question
A participle may be used at the beginning of a _____ phrase.
Answer
participial
Question
In the sentence 'The woman dressed in the red sari is the new principal,' what is the participial phrase?
Answer
'dressed in the red sari'
Question
When a participial phrase comes before the noun it qualifies, what does it often take the place of?
Answer
An earlier action.
Question
Rewrite this sentence to start with a participial phrase: 'Rohan ran into the house, shocked by what he saw.'
Answer
Shocked by what he saw, Rohan ran into the house.
Question
Combine using a participle: 'The students were taught well. The students did well in the exams.'
Answer
Having been taught well, the students did well in the exams.
Question
Combine using a participle: 'Ira had changed her mind. She did not post the letter.'
Answer
Having changed her mind, Ira did not post the letter.
Question
Combine using a participle: 'I was walking down the road. The trees were beautiful.'
Answer
Walking down the road, I saw the beautiful trees.
Question
What kind of participle is 'working' in the sentence 'He was working fast to make up for the lost time'?
Answer
It functions as a verb, part of the past continuous tense.
Question
What kind of participle is 'dancing' in the sentence 'The book cover has the figure of a dancing man'?
Answer
It functions as a participial adjective, modifying 'man'.
Question
What is the function of 'designed' in the sentence 'I have designed a working model of a water turbine'?
Answer
It is part of a finite verb phrase (present perfect).
Question
What is the function of 'hugged' in the sentence 'Excited by the news, the children hugged their mother'?
Answer
It is part of a finite verb phrase (simple past).
Question
What is the function of 'written' in the sentence 'We were asked to submit a written response'?
Answer
It is a participial adjective modifying 'response'.
Question
What type of participle is 'Having won' in the sentence 'Having won the first three matches, we were very confident'?
Answer
It is a perfect participle.
Question
What is the function of 'exasperated' in the sentence 'The police officers had an exasperated look on their faces'?
Answer
It is a participial adjective modifying 'look'.
Question
What type of participle is 'Having done' in 'Having done well in her exams, Sruthi looked very cheerful'?
Answer
It is a perfect participle.
Question
What is the function of 'demotivated' in the sentence 'Andrews sounded quite demotivated when I met him last evening'?
Answer
It is a participial adjective used predicatively.
Question
Identify the participle and its type in: 'The landscape looked pleasing from the moving train.'
Answer
pleasing (present participle) and moving (present participle).
Question
Identify the participle and its type in: 'The story took an interesting turn after the villain’s entry.'
Answer
interesting (present participle).
Question
Identify the participle and its type in: 'You seem an intriguing person.'
Answer
intriguing (present participle).
Question
Identify the participle and its type in: 'The children looked tired after a long day in the field.'
Answer
tired (past participle).