Participial phrases

A participial phrase is a grammatical construction that consists of a participle (a verb form that usually ends in “-ing” or “-ed”) along with its modifiers, objects, and complements. Participial phrases are used to provide additional information about a noun or pronoun in a sentence. They often act as adjectives, adding description and detail to the noun they modify.

Here are examples of participial phrases in different contexts:

1. Present Participle (-ing):

• The girl, laughing loudly, caught everyone’s attention. (“laughing loudly” modifies “The girl”)

• The painting, depicting a serene landscape, was admired by many. (“depicting a serene landscape” modifies “The painting”)

• The book, written by a famous author, became a bestseller. (“written by a famous author” modifies “The book”)

2. Past Participle (-ed, -en, irregular forms, etc.):

• The worn-out shoes were discarded. (“worn-out” modifies “The shoes”)

• The broken window was repaired yesterday. (“broken” modifies “The window”)

• The excited children eagerly unwrapped their presents. (“excited” modifies “The children”)

3. Modifying Nouns:

• The dog, wagging its tail, greeted the visitors. (“wagging its tail” modifies “The dog”)

• The building, constructed in the 19th century, is a historical landmark. (“constructed in the 19th century” modifies “The building”)

4. Expressing Simultaneous Actions:

• She studied while listening to music. (“listening to music” describes the simultaneous action)

• He fixed the car, humming a tune. (“humming a tune” describes the simultaneous action)

5. With Modifiers:

• The cake, beautifully decorated with icing, was the centerpiece of the party.

• The teacher, impressed by their dedication, praised their hard work.

6. In Complex Sentences:

• The thief, captured by the security cameras, was arrested yesterday.

• The movie, directed by a renowned filmmaker, received critical acclaim.

7. In Passive Construction:

• The document, signed by the president, is now in effect.

• The cake, baked by Grandma, was a delightful treat.

8. With Adjective Clauses:

• The author, well-known for her science fiction novels, just released a new book.

• The chef, respected by his peers, opened a new restaurant.

9. With Modals and Perfect Tenses:

• She could be seen running every morning.

• The project will be completed by the end of the week.

10. With Demonstratives:

• That movie, watched by millions, broke box office records.

• This painting, admired for its vibrant colors, is a masterpiece.

Participial phrases enrich sentences by providing vivid descriptions and enhancing the reader’s understanding of the subject. They can be placed at the beginning, middle, or end of sentences and play a crucial role in adding depth and imagery to your writing or speech.

Past vs. Present Participals

Let’s break down how present and past participles are used to begin participial phrases that function as adjectives.

Essentially, both present and past participles can be used to start phrases that describe (modify) nouns or pronouns, just like single-word adjectives do. The key difference lies in the meaning they convey, specifically regarding voice (active vs. passive) and timing/state.

1. Present Participles (-ing form) in Participial Phrases

• Formation: A present participle is the base form of a verb + -ing (e.g., running, speaking, thinking, shining).

• Function/Meaning: When a present participle begins a participial phrase acting as an adjective, it generally indicates:

  • An ongoing action: The noun being modified is performing the action at the time relevant to the main clause.

  • Active Voice: The noun being modified is the one doing the action described by the participle.

• Examples:

  • “The man talking to John is my brother.”

    • Phrase: talking to John

    • Participle: talking (present)

    • Modifies: man

    • Meaning: The man is actively talking to John.

  • “Wagging its tail excitedly, the dog greeted its owner.”

    • Phrase: Wagging its tail excitedly

    • Participle: Wagging (present)

    • Modifies: dog

    • Meaning: The dog was actively wagging its tail.

  • “Anyone needing assistance should report to the front desk.”

    • Phrase: needing assistance

    • Participle: needing (present)

    • Modifies: Anyone

    • Meaning: Anyone who is currently needing assistance.

2. Past Participles (-ed, -en, or irregular form) in Participial Phrases

• Formation: A past participle is the form of a verb typically used with “have” in perfect tenses (e.g., have run, have spoken, have thought) or in the passive voice (e.g., was broken, were seen). For regular verbs, it often ends in -ed, but irregular verbs have various forms (e.g., broken, taught, written, seen).

• Function/Meaning: When a past participle begins a participial phrase acting as an adjective, it generally indicates:

  • A completed action or resulting state: The action described by the participle has been done to the noun being modified.

  • Passive Voice: The noun being modified is the receiver of the action described by the participle.

• Examples:

  • “The letter written by Sarah arrived today.”

    • Phrase: written by Sarah

    • Participle: written (past)

    • Modifies: letter

    • Meaning: The letter was written by Sarah (passive action completed).

  • “Exhausted from the hike, the children fell asleep quickly.”

    • Phrase: Exhausted from the hike

    • Participle: Exhausted (past)

    • Modifies: children

    • Meaning: The children were exhausted as a result of the hike (state resulting from a past action).

  • “We bought a table made of solid oak.”

    • Phrase: made of solid oak

    • Participle: made (past)

    • Modifies: table

    • Meaning: The table was made of solid oak (passive action/state).

In Summary:

• Use a present participle (-ing) to start a participial phrase when the noun you are describing is doing the action (active) or is in an ongoing state.

• Use a past participle (-ed, -en, irregular) to start a participial phrase when the noun you are describing received the action (passive) or is in a state resulting from a completed action.

Understanding this distinction is crucial for constructing clear and accurate sentences. For you as a teacher trainer, highlighting this active vs. passive meaning is key when explaining participial phrases to educators, helping them guide their own learners in using these descriptive structures effectively.

Participial phrases vs. reduced adjective clause

See also Reduced Clauses.

Let’s compare participial phrases (as we just discussed) with reduced adjective clauses.

Are they the same or different?

In many common cases, they are essentially the same thing in their final form and function.

• A “reduced adjective clause” describes the origin or the process of shortening a full adjective clause (also called a relative clause).

• A “participial phrase” (when used adjectivally) describes the resulting grammatical structure after that reduction has occurred (or a similar structure formed directly).

Think of it this way: Many adjective clauses can be “reduced,” and when they are, they become participial phrases.

How the Reduction Works:

An adjective clause modifies a noun or pronoun and usually starts with a relative pronoun (who, whom, which, that) and contains a subject and a verb.1

1. Reduction leading to a Present Participial Phrase (Active Voice):

   • If the adjective clause contains an active verb, and the relative pronoun is the subject of that verb, you can often reduce it by removing the relative pronoun and changing the verb to its present participle (-ing) form. If the verb is a form of “be” + present participle, you just remove the relative pronoun and the “be” verb.2

   • Full Clause: The man who is talking to John is my brother.

   • Reduced: The man talking to John is my brother. (talking to John is a present participial phrase).

   • Full Clause: The dog that was wagging its tail greeted its owner.

   • Reduced: The dog wagging its tail greeted its owner. (wagging its tail is a present participial phrase).

2. Reduction leading to a Past Participial Phrase (Passive Voice):

   • If the adjective clause contains a passive verb (be + past participle), you can often reduce it by removing the relative pronoun and the “be” verb, leaving just the past participle to start the phrase.

   • Full Clause: The letter which was written by Sarah arrived today.

   • Reduced: The letter written by Sarah arrived today. (written by Sarah is a past participial phrase).

   • Full Clause: The table that is made of solid oak is expensive.

   • Reduced: The table made of solid oak is expensive. (made of solid oak is a past participial phrase).

Conclusion:

• The participial phrases we discussed in the previous answer (like talking to John, written by Sarah) are precisely what you get when you reduce certain types of adjective clauses.

• So, functionally, a participial phrase acting as an adjective is often a reduced adjective clause.

• Grammarians might use “reduced adjective clause” to emphasize the relationship to the full clause and the transformation process. They might use “participial phrase” to describe the structure itself, regardless of whether it’s thought of as a reduction.

For practical purposes, especially when teaching, understanding that these participial phrases function like adjective clauses and can often be derived from them by removing the relative pronoun and be verb is a very useful concept. They are two ways of looking at largely the same grammatical structure and function.