Participial+Phrases

Participles
A [|participle] is a verb form used as an adjective to modify nouns and pronouns. The following sentence contains both a present and a past participle:
 * crying****exhausted**
 * **Crying** is a [|present participle], formed by adding **-ing** to the present form of the verb (//cry//).
 * **Exhausted** is a [|past participle], formed by adding **-ed** to the present form of the verb (//exhaust//).
 * Both participles modify the subject, //children//.

All present participles end in **-ing**. The past participles of all [|regular verbs] end in **-ed**. However, [|irregular verbs] have various past participle endings (for instance, throw**n**. ridd**en**, buil**t**, and go**ne**).

A [|participial phrase] is made up of a participle and its modifiers. A participle may be followed by an object, an adverb, a prepositional phrase, an adverb clause, or any combination of these. In this sentence, for example, the participial phrase consists of a present participle (**holding**), an object (**the torch**), and an adverb (**steadily**): In the next sentence, the participial phrase consists of a present participle (**making**), an object (**a great ring**), and a prepositional phrase (**of white light**): Participles can add vigor to our writing as they add information to our sentences. Here we'll practice creating and arranging [|participial phrases]. Let's practice by combining these three sentences, turning the first and third into participial phrases:
 * Holding the torch steadily**
 * making a great ring of white light**
 * I guided the pinball through the upper chutes, down a runover lane, off the slingshot bumpers to the flippers.
 * I cradled it there.
 * I bounced it back and forth until I had a perfect shot through the spinner.

To emphasize the quick, successive actions described in these three sentences, we can combine them by turning the verbs **guided** and **bounced** into present participles: > **Guiding** the ball through the upper chutes, down a runover lane, off the slingshot bumpers to the flippers, I cradled it there, **bouncing** it back and forth until I had a perfect shot through the spinner. > (J. Anthony Lucas, "The Inner Game of Pinball") Here, the first phrase includes a present participle (**Guiding**) and its object (**the pinball**), followed by a series of prepositional phrases. The second participial phrase again contains a present participle (**bouncing**) and its object (**it**), followed by a pair of adverbs (**back and forth**) and an adverb clause. Both participial phrases modify "I," the subject of the sentence. Note that participial phrases can't stand alone as complete sentences: they must modify a noun or pronoun in the sentence.

Arranging Participial Phrases
A participial phrase is flexible, a structure that can be placed at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence. Participial phrases may be arranged to show a sequence of actions, as in the "pinball" sentence just seen. They may also be set up to show that two or more actions are occurring at the same time: > The eagles swooped and hovered, **leaning on the air**, and swung close together, **feinting and screaming with delight**. > (N. Scott Momaday, //House Made of Dawn//) In this sentence, the eagles were "leaning on the air" //as// they "hovered"; they were "feinting and screaming with delight" //as// they swung close together. Though you can shift a participial phrase to different positions, don't risk awkwardness or confusion by placing it too far from the word it modifies. For example, a participial phrase that indicates a cause usually precedes the [|main clause], sometimes follows the [|subject], but only rarely appears at the end of the sentence. In each sentence below, the participial phrase clearly modifies the subject ("my younger sister") and suggests a cause: But consider what happens when the participial phrase moves to the end of the sentence: Here the logical order of cause-effect is reversed, and as a result the sentence may be less effective than the first two versions.
 * **Discouraged by the long hours and low pay**, my sister finally quit her job.
 * My sister, **discouraged by the long hours and low pay**, finally quit her job.
 * My sister finally quit her job, **discouraged by the long hours and low pay**.

Dangling Phrases
A participial phrase should refer clearly to a noun or pronoun in the sentence. We have to be careful when combining sentences such as these: > I curled my toes and squinted. > The doctor prepared to puncture my arm with a needle. Notice what happens if we drop "I" and change the first sentence to a participial phrase: Here the participial phrases refer to "the doctor" when they should refer to "I"--a pronoun that's not in the sentence. This kind of problem--called a [|dangling modifier]--should be avoided. We can correct this dangling modifier either by adding "I" to the sentence or by replacing the participial phrase with an [|adverb clause]:
 * Curling my toes and squinting**
 * **Curling my toes and squinting**, I waited for the doctor to puncture my arm with a needle.
 * **As I curled my toes and squinted**, the doctor prepared to puncture my arm with a needle.

=Try It Out!!!=