This document discusses three types of verbals: participles, gerunds, and infinitives. Participles end in "-ing", "-ed", "-en", or "-t" and act as adjectives. Gerunds end in "-ing" and act as nouns. Infinitives begin with "to" and can act as nouns, adverbs, or adjectives. The document also discusses misplaced modifiers and provides examples of how to properly place modifying phrases next to the words they modify.

1. Recognizing VerbalsRecognizing Verbals
A verbal is a verb that is being used as another
part of speech rather than as a verb.

2. There are three types of Verbals
• Participles
• Gerunds
• Infinitives
– The swept floor looked immaculate.
– Blowing out the candles is always fun.
– Sometimes I like to sit and think.

3. Participles
• A participle is a verbal that
acts as an adjective.
– The crying child was
comforted by her mother.
– My bruised elbow took a few
days to heal.

4. Gerunds
• A gerund is a verbal that acts as a
noun.
- Bowling is not a great exercise
- Most people relax by watching TV.

5. Infinitives
• An infinitive starts with the word “to”
and often acts as a noun. It can also
act as an adverb, or adjective.
– I like to skate. (noun)
– To steal is a crime. (noun)
– Jane always brings a book to read (adj.)
– Bob raised his voice to get our attention
(adv.)

6. A quick review
• Gerunds end in “ing” and act as
nouns.
– Wishing on a star will make your dreams
come true.
• Infinitives begin with “to” and act as
nouns, adverbs, or adjectives.
– The perfomer struggled to reach the high
notes.
• Participles end in “ing,” “ed,” “en,” or
“t” and act as adjectives.
– The roasted peanuts are the best.

7. Dangling, or Misplaced
Modifiers
• A dangling or misplaced modifier is a
word or a phrase that is in the wrong
place or is missing its intended target.
– Having arrived late, the coach demanded a
written excuse.
Who arrived late? It’s not clear from
this sentence. Here’s one fix:
-- The coach demanded a written excuse from the
players who arrived late.

8. Fixing misplaced modifiers
Make sure to place the participial
phrase close to the word it modifies.
• Playing flawlessly, the home team won.
• Fooling around, we broke the lamp.
Note how the undelined participial phrases are
followed by a comma because
they come at the beginning of the sentence and
before the word that is being modified.