esson 7: Dangling and Misplac Partic
What Is a Participle?
There are two kinds of participles:
Present participles always end in -ing (e.g., col-
liding, writing, swimming, eating, fighting).
Past participles often end in -ed or -en, but not
always (e.g,, collided, written, swum, eaten,
fought).
A participle is a verb form used when the verb is
a phrase with a helping verb, as in the following
sentences:
Iwas walking through the lobby.
We had been talking for over an hour.
Thave not yet begun to fight.
The chairs were pushed against the wall.
Participles as Verbs or Adjectives
A participle can be used as a verb part (with a helping
verb), as in He is writing his term paper or They have
taken the car. It can also be used as an adjective, as in
Don't trust a smiling salesman or I like frozen treats.
Don't confuse present participles with gerunds.
They look the same, but they play very differ-
ent roles. Present participles act as verb parts
or adjectives (as above), but gerunds act as
nouns, as in Writing is harder than it looks.
(Writing is the subject of the verb is, so it is a
noun anda gerund.)
Dan: ig and Misplaced
Participial Phrases
A participial phrase is a modifying phrase that
includes a participle. Such a phrase always de-
scribes something, so it acts like an adjective or
adverb. It is usually separated from the main
emetOk thie sexitonine let Gar or cies Corn,
Wrong: After having stud
professor postpon.
Friday.
The participial phrase modifi
had studied all night? Certain
sor, so the modifying phrase a
One way to correct a dangling
to place the correct noun ne:
phrase:
Better: After having studic
frustraied to learn i
had postponed the
(I answers the qu
studied?)
Another way is to incorporat
participial phrase, turning i
clause:
Better: After I had studi.
professor postpon.
Friday.
Every participial phrase shou
possible to the word it modifi:
sounds as if it modifies the
“misplaced” and must be mov
Wrong: = Bob found his we
the bathroom.
Was the watch walking? Of cc
participial phrase is misplace:
Better: Walking to the
found his watch.
Also good: Bob found his w
walking to the ba
Wrong: It was difficult for
the announcement.
train.