1. ELACC8L1a: Explain the function of verbals
(gerunds, participles, infinitives) in general and
their function in particular sentences.
VERBALS: GERUNDS,
INFINITIVES, &
PARTICIPLES
2. Verbals are verb parts that act
like nouns, adjectives, or
adverbs, but they cannot stand
alone as actual verbs.
VERBALS
3. A gerund ends in -ing and can be used as a
noun.
A gerund is based on a verb. It shows action or
a state of being.
However, since a gerund works as a noun, it
does the same thing in a sentence that a noun
does.
Examples:
Jogging is good exercise.
My favorite thing is sleeping.
GERUNDS
4. Gerunds answers the question
"what.“
Find the verb and ask yourself
"what.“
Gerunds will show up as subjects,
direct or indirect objects or objects
of prepositions.
GERUNDS
5. An infinitive consists of the word to plus
a verb and acts as a noun, adjective, or
adverb.
An infinitive is based on a verb and
shows action or a state of being.
The difference is that the infinitive may
act as an adjective, adverb, subject,
direct object, or the complement of a
subject in a sentence.
INFINITIVES
6. An infinitive is easy to locate because of the to +
verb form, but deciding what an infinitive does in a
sentence can be confusing sometimes.
Examples:
To sit seemed wrong since the boy needed help. ("To
sit" is the subject.)
We all wanted to see. ("To see" is the direct object.)
Her dream is to play. ("To play" complements the
subject.)
They didn't have the strength to stop. ("To stop" acts
as an adjective.)
I must practice to win. ("To win" acts as an adverb.)
INFINITIVES
7. If the infinitive is used as an adverb and is the
beginning phrase in a sentence, you should
use a comma to set it off.
Beyond that, no punctuation is needed for an
infinitive phrase.
Examples:
To buy a basketball, Phil had to save all his
money.
To improve your playing, you should practice
every day.
INFINITIVES
8. A participle is used as an adjective
and most often ends in -ing or -ed.
A participle is based on a verb. It
shows an action or a state of being.
However, since a participle works as
an adjective, it can also modify
nouns or pronouns.
PARTICIPLES
9. There are two types of participles: present
participles and past participles.
Present participles end in -ing.
Past participles end in -ed, -en, -d, -t, or -n, as
in the words asked, eaten, saved, dealt, and
seen.
Examples:
The crying baby had a wet diaper.
The burning log fell off the fire.
PARTICIPLES
