Definitions
Verbal that ends in -ing and acts at a noun
Gerund
Identify the gerund or gerund phrase (if applicable):
Exercising regularly is good for everyone.
Gerund phrase: exercising regularly
Identify the function of the underlined verbal (if adj or adv, state what it is modifying):
Exercising regularly is good for everyone.
Gerund -- Noun -- Subject
Identify the verbal/verbal phrase AND the type: gerund, infinitive, participle.
Sarah loves to play volleyball.
to play volleyball -- infinitive phrase
Identify the underlined verbal type:
Everyone wants to go to the park on Sunday
Infinitive phrase
Verbal that uses the preposition "to" + a verb (in its base form)
Infinitive
Identify the participle or participial phrase:
Mom saw him trying to get there in a hurry.
Participial phrase: trying to get there in a hurry
(note: to get there in a hurry is an infinitive phrase WITHIN the participial phrase)
Identify the function of the underlined verbal (if adj or adv, state what it is modifying)
Mom saw him trying to get there in a hurry.
Participial phrase -- adjective -- modifying "him"
Identify the verbal/verbal phrase AND the type: gerund, infinitive, participle.
Napoleon himself was once a crying baby.
crying -- participle
Identify the underlined verbal function (if noun, state the part of the sentence; if adj/adv, state the word it modifies):
Everyone wants to go to the park on Sunday
Infinitive phrase as a noun -- direct object
Verbal that ends in -ing or (usually) -ed, -en and functions as an adjective
Participle
Identify the infinitive or infinitive phrase:
Death in Paradise is the TV show to watch tonight.
Infinitive phrase: to watch tonight
Identify the function of the underlined verbal (if adj or adv, state what it is modifying):
Death in Paradise is the TV show to watch tonight.
Infinitive phrase -- adj -- modifying "show"
Identify the verbal/verbal phrase AND the type: gerund, infinitive, participle.
They just don't know whether to go to the circus or to stay at home.
to go to the circus or to stay at home -- (compound) infinitive phrase --
Identify the underlined verbal type and function (if noun, state the part of the sentence; if adj/adv, state the word it modifies):
My little sister’s main interests are drawing and singing.
(compound) gerund phrase -- noun -- predicate nominative (renames "interests")
Verbal that can ONLY function as an adjective
Participle
Identify the gerund or gerund phrase:
Adam jumped in the lake without changing his clothes
Gerund phrase: changing his clothes
Identify the function of the underlined verbal (if adj or adv, state what it is modifying):
Adam jumped in the lake without changing his clothes.
Gerund phrase -- noun -- object of the preposition
Identify the verbal/verbal phrase AND the type: gerund, infinitive, participle.
Our next goal, to sell the artwork, shouldn’t be too difficult
to sell artwork -- infinitive phrase
Identify the underlined verbal type and function (if noun, state the part of the sentence; if adj/adv, state the word it modifies):
It's never too late to achieve what you want in life.
Infinitive phrase -- adverb -- modifying PA "late"
Verbal that can function as a noun, adjective, or adverb
Infinitive
Identify the participle or participial phrase:
It wasn’t impossible to glue the broken vase together.
Participle: broken
Identify the function of the underlined verbal (if adj or adv, state what it is modifying):
Is Mariana too busy to help you?
Infinitive -- adverb -- modifying PA "busy"
Identify the verbal/verbal phrase AND the type: gerund, infinitive, participle.
You can’t change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying about the future.
worrying about the future -- gerund phrase
Identify the verbal/phrase and type:
Glancing up at her husband’s face, Sarah felt her heart miss a beat.
Glancing up at her husband’s face -- participial phrase (modifying "Sarah")