chapter 3: verbals
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Chapter 3: Verbals
What is a verbal?
A form of a verb that performs the function of a noun, adjective, or adverb.
Ex. Running is good exercise – Running is a gerund, subject of the sentence
Ex. Running swiftly, he caught the thief– Running is a participle, modifying “he”
Ex. The boy is running down the street– Running is a sentence verb.
What is a verbal?
A verbal can NOT take the place of a sentence verb.
Ex. The boy running– This is a fragment!
Ex. The boy running up the stairs is Charles– Running is a participle, modifying boy
What is a verbal?
A verbal can NOT take the place of a sentence verb.
Ex. To face an audience.– This is a fragment!
Ex. To face an audience was a great effort for me.– To face is an infinitive, subject of the sentence
Types of verbals
There are three types of verbals
1.Gerund2.Participle3. Infinitive
Types of verbals – 1. Gerund
Definition of a Gerund:– Verbal used as a noun– in present tense ends –ing
Be careful not to confuse it with a participle, which is used as an adjective.
Gerund as a subject
Because a gerund is a noun, it can be used as a subject– Ex. Planning the work carefully required a great
deal of time.– The gerund is Planning
Gerund as a complement
Because a gerund is a noun, it can be used as a complement– Ex. I appreciated your taking time
to help me– The gerund is taking
Gerund as an object of a preposition
Because a gerund is a noun, it can be used as an object of a preposition– Ex. She was not to blame for
breaking the vase– The gerund is breaking
Gerund as an appositive
Because a gerund is a noun, it can be used as an appositive– Ex. His greatest ambition,
teaching, became a reality
Advanced Gerunds
A. Gerund’s can also take an object, like a verb.
– Ex. Planning the work carefully required a great deal of time
The object of Planning is “the work carefully”
– Ex. She was not to blame for breaking the vase
– The object of breaking is “the vase”
Advanced Gerunds
B. Always use the possessive form of a noun or pronoun before a gerund.
- Ex. Mr Bridges was surprised at Doug’s offering him the motorboat.
Types of verbals – 2. Participle
Definition of a Participle:– Verbal used as an adjective– in present tense ends –ing– In past tense ends in –ed, -d, -t, -n,
or may have a vowel change
sing -> sung
Participle
ExamplesEx. The broken doll can be mended– The participle is broken
Ex. An old coat, faded and torn, was her only possession
- The participles are faded and torn
Types of verbals – 3. Infinitive
Definition of an infinitive:– It is the simplest form of the
verb and the word to
Uses of infinitive verbals
It can be used as a noun– Ex. To err is human– To err is the infinitive, subject
Adjective– Ex. He had a few books to read– To read is the adjective, modifying
books
Uses of infinitive verbals
Or as an adverb.– Ex. Frank seemed eager to go– To go is the adverb modifying eager.
HINT: If you can use the phrase “in order” before it, it is usually an adverb– Ex. Katy paid ten dollars (in order) to
get good seats.
Advanced Uses of infinitive verbals
What about?
Susan helped carry the packages.– To is omitted because it is
understood as “Susan helped to carry the packages.”
– It is a noun, direct object of helped
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