A pretty good sentence:

The hurdler eyed the finish line.

Using a PARTICIPLE:

Flying, the hurdler eyed the finish line.

Flying through the air, the hurdler eyed the finish line.

Using a PARTICIPIAL

PHRASE:

A word that looks like a verb but acts like an adjective. It will usually end in –ing or -ed (and sometimes –n or –t)

It is often (but not always) set off by commas and always acts as an adjective.

The diamond-scaled snakes attacked their prey.

Hissing, slithering, and coiling, the diamond-scaled snakes attacked their prey.

The hissing, diamond-scaled snakes attacked their prey.

Hissing their forked red tongues, the diamond-scaled snakes attacked their prey.

A participle along with any modifiers that complete the image. The entire phrase is used as an adjective.

Searching through the fog, a beam of light swung out into the darkness.

A beam of light swung out into the darkness, searching.

Mark froze, dripping with sweat, hoping with all his might that she wouldn’t call on him.

Dripping with sweat and hoping with all his might that she wouldn’t

call on him, Mark froze.

Mark froze.

No one knew the clown, appearing bright and cheerful, had just escaped prison.

,

Don’t confuse a participle used as an adjective with a word in a verb

phrase

Planning their trip, the class learned how to read a map.

The class was planning their trip and learned how to read maps.

Don’t confuse a participle used as an adjective with a word in a verb

phrase

Most of the treasure buried by the pirates has never been found.Most of the treasure that was buried by the pirates has never been found.

Find the participles:• Records, cracked and warped, were in the

attic.

• Shouting loudly, Carmen warned the swimmers about the shark.

• For centuries the shattered ruins remained there, waiting for discovery.

• Cheering loudly and clapping wildly, the fans greeted their team.

Find the participles:• Records, cracked and warped, were in

the attic.

• Shouting loudly, Carmen warned the swimmers about the shark.

• For centuries the shattered ruins remained there, waiting for discovery.

• Cheering loudly and clapping wildly, the fans greeted their team.

Find the participial phrases:• Known for her beauty, Venus was

sought by many gods and mortals.

• The bread, burnt by the new toaster, was inedible.

• They imagined him dressed in shining armor.

• Looking down from the top of the building, Alex almost lost his lunch.

Find the participial phrases:• Known for her beauty, Venus was

sought by many gods and mortals.

• The bread, burnt by the new toaster, was inedible.

• They imagined him dressed in shining armor.

• Looking down from the top of the building, Alex almost lost his lunch.

Write a sentence using one of these participial phrases:

planning the escape

waiting in the rain

Notice how you can create mood, movement, and poetry by just adding a few “brushstrokes” to

your writing.

Try another one!

For this last one, try to make your writing

come alive.

Give your readers the experience of falling

into your “word picture”.

Write a descriptive paragraph using 5 participial phrases for a C (22/30 points) or 10 phrases for an A. You must use the phrases in three different positions: beginning, middle, and end of the sentence.

You may describe an activity suggested by a picture from this presentation or create your own word picture through your own story.