Verbals

Grammar Lesson 10English 10

Is it a VERB or a VERBAL??

• Telling the difference between a verb and a verbal is not done by looking only at the word itself.

• You have to see how the word is being used.

• In both cases, the word looks like a verb, but if it’s used as something other than a verb…it’s a VERBAL

Is it a VERB or a VERBAL??

• Examples:– Waxed– Flowing– Playing– Sleeping

• These can be verbs or verbals depending upon how they are used in the sentence.

Is it a VERB or a VERBAL??

• Examples:– Our butler waxed the floors.– The waxed floors were

slippery and dangerous.

• In the first sentence, the word is being used as a verb to tell what action is being done.

• In the other one, the word still looks like a verb, but it is being used as an adjective

Is it a VERB or a VERBAL??

• Examples:– Water was flowing over the

rocks in the stream.– Flowing water carries a great

deal of potential energy.

• The same thing is true here as in the other example.

• The second sentences shows the verb working as an adjective instead of a verb.

Basic Information on Verbals

• Verbals are verb forms (words that look like verbs or could be verbs in other sentences) that are used as one of the following:– Noun– Adjective– Adverb

• A verbal can never be the verb of the sentence.

Basic Information on Verbals

• There are three different kinds of verbals:– Infinitive– Participle– Gerund

• Each verbal has a specific purpose and use in a sentence.

Infinitives

• An infinitive is a verb form that is proceeded by the word “to.”– To play– To sleep– To be seen– To steal– To have been stolen– To speak

Infinitives

• In some sentences (following certain verbs), the “sign of the infinitive” (the word “to) is omitted.

• This is done for clarity.– Help him (to) move the sofa.– Watch the fish (to) snap at

the hook.– Can you feel the floor (to)

move?

Infinitives

• The verbs which call for an omitted “to” are:– See– Hear– Feel– Help– Let– Make– Watch

Infinitives

• An infinitive has three possible functions:– As a noun– As an adjective– As an adverb

• Knowing where an infinitive should go helps make the structure of the sentence more clear.

Infinitives

• As a noun:– I hate to go. (direct object)– To steal is a crime. (subject)

• As an adjective:– It’s time to go. (modify

time)– There are jobs to be done

(modify jobs)

• As an adverb:– He always plays to win.

(modify plays)

Infinitives

• Infinitives can also have modifiers or complements.

• This can be done because there is a verb form in the infinitive that (if being used as a verb in another sentence) could take a complement such as an indirect or direct object or a predicate complement.

Infinitives

• Be careful not to create “split” infinitives.

• This is done when an adverb is placed between the “to” and the verb form.– To boldly go….– To strenuously object…– To always comply…

• It is bad structure for this to be formed.

Participles

• Verb forms that are used as adjectives are called participles.

• They will have two forms:– Present (ending in “-ing”)– Past (ending in “-ed” or “-

en”)

• These contain action, but they are not used as verbs in the sentence.

Participles

• Examples:– Smoking gun– Snoring spouse– Broken window– Elected official– Streaming video– Buzzing noise– Winning touchdown– Walking track

Participles

• Participles can appear in several places in the sentence, but they are most commonly found describing / modifying the subject.

• Participle phrases can also be made from single participles– Running along the path

Participles

• Most participle phrases will have commas setting them off. This is especially true when they open a sentence and modify the subject.– Running at full speed,

the back raced twenty yards for a score.

– Crying loudly, the baby wanted some attention.

Gerunds

• A gerund looks a lot like a participle because it ends in “-ing.”

• However, the gerund is going to be used as a noun.

• Gerunds will show up as subjects, direct or indirect objects or objects of prepositions.

Gerunds

• Examples:– Chewing gum in class is

not allowed. (subject)– I liked eating at the new

restaurant. (direct object)– Without running very

hard I won the race.– Abusing the warm fuzzy

kitten is not allowed in this class. (subject)

Practice:

• You will be shown ten sentences with a word or phrase underlined.

• Identify the word or phrases as:– Infinitive– Participle– Gerund

Practice:

1. Sleeping soundly in his bed, Ron was not going to be disturbed by anyone in his house.

2. I wanted to try out for the lacrosse team this spring.

3. The rushing waters of the Colorado River were great for rafting.

Practice:

4. The warm fuzzy kitten, meowing loudly in the hallway, was a nuisance.

5. We tried shooting with the NBA’s new basketball and found it to be challenging.

6. To run a mile in less than four minutes is nearly impossible.

Practice:

7. Charging wildly down the street, the bulls tried to crush the citizens of Pamplona.

8. Cheating on a final exam in English is not an advisable solution to not studying.

9. To sleep, perchance to dream.

Practice:

10. On the sixth day of Xmas, my true love gave to me six geese a-laying, five gold rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree.

SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE!!• Now that you can identify

these verbals, you have the great privilege of going on to the next great step in verbals……..

DIAGRAMMING!!