Verbals%20and%20Verbal%20Phrases

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Verbals and Verbal Phrases
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What is a Verbal

• A verbal is a verb that acts as a noun,
  adjective, or adverb.

• The three kinds of verbals are gerunds,
  participles, and infinitives.

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Gerund

• A gerund is a verb acting as a noun.
• To form a gerund add ing to the end of a verb.

• A gerund can be a subject, P.N., D.O., I.O., or
  O.P.
• Ex. Learning is fun.
• The gerund is learning. I can easily replace
  it with a different noun, such as Ms. Berger.
  Ms. Berger is fun.

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Gerund Phrase

• A gerund phrase is a gerund plus all of its
  modifiers (adjective, prepositional phrases,
  etc.).

• Learning about English is fun.
• The gerund phrase is learning about English.

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Participles

• Participles can be plain old adjectives and
  predicate adjectives.
• Thinking students make me happy.
• The participle is thinking. It describes the
  students. I can easily replace it with a
  different adjective such as courteous.
  Courteous students make me happy.

• A participle is a verb that acts like an
  adjective.
• A participle can end with an ed (past
  participle) or an ing (present participle).

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Participial Phrases

• Participial phrases are participles and all
  modifiers and complements.
• Ex. I saw students thinking about English.
• The participial phrase is thinking about
  English.

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Infinitive

• An infinitive is a verb that begins with to and
  is acting as a noun, adjective, or adverb.
• Ex. I love to eat.
• The infinitive is to eat. It answers the
  question What do I like to do? Therefore, it is
  a direct object.

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Infinitive Phrase

• An infinitive phrase is an infinitive and all of
  its modifiers and complements.
• Ex. I love to eat ice cream.
• The infinitive phrase is to eat ice cream. The
  four words together function as the direct object
  of the sentence.

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More Infinitive Phrases

• Ex. We are here to learn English.
• The infinitive phrase is to learn English. It
  answers the question Why am I here? Therefore,
  it is an adverb infinitive phrase.