Verbals
HOMEVerbals1. GerundsA 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 SUBJECT
DELAYED APPOSITIVEIn 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. ParticiplesA 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. InfinitivesA 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 turnInfinitives may function as adjectives, adverbs, or nouns.A. Adjectival infinitivesJust 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 infinitivesJust 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 ofinfinitive. 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 thesentence.C. Nominal infinitivesLike a single-word noun, a nominal infinitive may function as aSUBJECT
DIRECT OBJECT
RETAINED OBJECT
SUBJECTIVE COMPLEMENT
APPOSITIVE
DELAYED APPOSITIVE