Common Writing Problems Verbals Lesson 5 Verbals look

Common Writing Problems: Verbals Lesson 5 Verbals look like verbs. In fact, a verbal is a verb form, but it serves as another part of speech—such as an adjective or noun. Examples: She helped the waiting customer. (Waiting is a form of the verb wait, but it is serving as an adjective describing customer. ) My brother’s favorite activity is hiking. (Hiking is a form of the verb hike but is serving as a noun. ) Grade 8 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning® • Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 1

Common Writing Problems: Verbals Lesson 5 Verbals There are three kinds of verbals: participles, gerunds, and infinitives. • Participles are verb forms that act as adjectives. • Gerunds are verb forms that act as nouns. • Infinitives are verb forms that can act as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. Grade 8 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning® • Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 2

Common Writing Problems: Verbals Lesson 5 Verbals Fast Facts About Participles • Act as adjectives • Can end in –ing (present participle form) or –ed/-d (past participle form) • Do not mistake them for verbs. An –ing word by itself is usually a participle or gerund. A verb that ends in –ing needs a helping verb before it, such as was or were. • Can stand alone as a single word or be included in a phrase with modifiers Grade 8 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning® • Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 3

Common Writing Problems: Verbals Lesson 5 Verbals Participles Examples: The daring explorers headed to the Americas. Early settlers, hoping for new lives, soon followed. Risking life and limb, they left their homeland. The corn, growing ever taller, will probably be ready to eat by July 4. Notice that commas are used to set off participial phrases placed at the beginning and in the middle of a sentence. Grade 8 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning® • Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 4

Common Writing Problems: Verbals Lesson 5 Verbals Fast Facts About Gerunds • Act as nouns (subject, direct object, indirect object, object of a preposition, predicate nominative, appositive) • end in -ing • Do not mistake them for verbs. An –ing word by itself is usually a participle or gerund. A verb that ends in –ing needs a helping verb before it, such as was or were. • Can stand alone as a single word or be included in a phrase with modifiers Grade 8 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning® • Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 5

Common Writing Problems: Verbals Lesson 5 Verbals Gerunds Examples: Jessica’s writing is quite good. Hiking is great exercise. I always enjoy hiking in the mountains. Running on the trail is a great way to relax. Our service project will include picking up the trash in the park across from the school. Grade 8 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning® • Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 6

Common Writing Problems: Verbals Lesson 5 Verbals Fast Facts About Infinitives • Usually act as nouns but can also be used as adjectives or adverbs • almost always begin with the word to • Do not mistake them for prepositional phrases. An infinitive has to plus a verb form (to go, to eat). A prepositional phrase has to and a noun or pronoun (to the store, to him). • Can stand alone or be included in a phrase with modifiers Grade 8 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning® • Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 7

Common Writing Problems: Verbals Lesson 5 Verbals Infinitives Examples: I want to play the piano, but I don’t want to practice. To become a great athlete takes many hours of practice. She told us to read the pages thoughtfully. Jordan plans to go to the store when it opens in the morning. We always went to the library to hang out after school. Grade 8 Writing Companion © Perfection Learning® • Reproduction permitted for classroom use only. 8