Recognizing Participles
Introduction
1. The _____ dog slunk away into the darkness.
(Insert the past participle of "beat.")
2. Over the mantle hung a portrait.
(Find the most likely spot, and insert the past participle of "frame.")
3. We paid more for our car than for our piano.
(Insert two participles, first of "rebuild" and later of "recondition.")
4. The other participle is called the present participle. It ends always in -ing: surprising, drinking, living. The present participle is used in verb phrases that describe action in progress: is shooting, will be sleeping. The present participle can also be used without a verb to modify a noun, as adjectives do: the rotting orange, a boiling kettle.
DIRECTIONS: Combine sentences, making the second idea into a present participle inserted in the first sentence.
The theater was filled with faces.
The faces scowled.
5. Australia boasts a tourist business.
The tourist business grows.
6. His coat of arms bears a lion.
The lion ramps.
7. The vampire crept up to his victim.
The victim slept.
8. Her gown was drenched in champagne.
The champagne frothed.
9. DIRECTIONS: Combine the sentences, converting the entire second idea into a past participle inserted into the first sentence.
Water recirculates through the aquarium.
Something filters the water.
10. A young man climbed out of the sports car.
The young man was handsome.
11. A beautiful paper gradually took shape in the machine.
Someone was typing the paper.
12. We will make cookies.
We will decorate the cookies.
13. She flashed her eyes.
Her eyes had long lashes. [This will be one of those fake participles made out of a hyphenated noun phrase.]
14. Do not wax a car.
Someone has painted the car recently.
15. The little girl tottered in the shoes.
The shoes had high heels.