1. Verbals

2. Is it a VERB or a VERBAL??
• Telling the difference
between a verb and a
verbal is not done by
looking only at the word
itself.
• You have to see how the
word is being used.
• In both cases, the word
looks like a verb, but if it’s
used as something other
than a verb…it’s a VERBAL

3. Is it a VERB or a VERBAL??
• Examples:
– Waxed
– Flowing
– Playing
– Sleeping
• These can be verbs or
verbals depending upon
how they are used in the
sentence.

4. Is it a VERB or a VERBAL??
• Examples:
– Our helpers waxed the floors.
– The waxed floors were
slippery and dangerous.

5. Is it a VERB or a VERBAL??
• Examples:
– Water was flowing over the
rocks in the stream.
– Flowing water carries a great
deal of potential energy.

6. Basic Information on Verbals
• Verbals are verb forms
(words that look like verbs
or could be verbs in other
sentences) that are used
as one of the following:
– Noun
– Adjective
– Adverb
• A verbal can never be the
verb of the sentence.

7. Basic Information on Verbals
• There are three different
kinds of verbals:
– Infinitive
– Participle
– Gerund
• Each verbal has a specific
purpose and use in a
sentence.

8. Infinitives
• An infinitive has three
possible functions:
– As a noun
– As an adjective
– As an adverb
• It is a form of a verb that
generally appears with the
word ‘to’ and acts as a
noun, adjective, or adverb.

9. Infinitives Used As Nouns
• Subject: To understand required
maturity and acceptance. To sleep is
the only thing Eli wants after his long
day of work.
• Direct Object: I hate to go.
• Predicate Noun: Our best chance of
winning against our enemy is to pray.
• Object of the Preposition: I was about
to eat when the guests arrived.
• Appositive: You have only one choice,
to go.

10. Unlike gerunds, infinitives
can also act as adjectives
and adverbs.

11. • Adjective: The teacher assigned us too
many problems to solve. (modify
problems)
Wherever Melissa goes, she always brings
a book to read in case she has a long
wait. (modify book)
There are jobs to be done. (modify jobs)
• Adverb: They struggled to resist. (modify
struggled)
Some people are unable to adjust.
(modify unable)
He always plays to win. (modify plays)
Infinitives Used As Modifiers

12. Identifying Infinitives
Identify the infinitive in each sentence. Then,
label each as subject, direct object, predicate
noun, object of the preposition, appositive,
adjective, or adverb.
1.Worried by my decision, I decided to sleep.
2. To build was the architect’s fondest dream.
3. The teacher assigned us too many pages to
read.
4. My mother likes to eat.
5. They were reluctant to dance.

13. Prepositional Phrase or Infinitive?
• A prepositional phrase always ends
with a noun or pronoun. An infinitive
always ends with a verb.
Prepositional Phrase Infinitive
The soldier listened to
the command.
When I am in New
York, I go to a shop.
A general’s purpose in
the army is to
command.
When I am in New
York, I like to shop.

14. Distinguish between infinitives
and prepositional phrases.
1. Would you try to explain?
2. Give an explanation to
Jane.
3. Our trip to China was filled
with surprises.
4. After working so hard, he
wanted to rest.
5. To believe took
considerable faith.

15. Infinitive Phrases
• He hated to discuss
emotions. (DO)
• Wilbur’s family likes to rise
early. (DO)
• To join the drama club is
Kyle’s greatest dream.
(subject)
• I have an assignment to
finish before tomorrow.

16. Participles
• Verb forms that are used as
adjectives are called
participles.
• They will have two forms:
– Present (ending in “-ing”)
– Past (ending in “-ed” or “-
en”)
• These contain action, but
they are not used as verbs
in the sentence.

17. Participles
• Examples:
– Smoking gun
– Snoring spouse
– Broken window
– Elected official
– Streaming video
– Buzzing noise
– Winning touchdown
– Walking track

18. Participles
• Participles can appear in
several places in the
sentence, but they are
most commonly found
describing / modifying the
subject.
• Participle phrases are
always used as adjectives.

19. Participles
• Most participle phrases will
have commas setting them
off. This is especially true
when they open a
sentence and modify the
subject.
– Running at full speed, the
back raced twenty yards for
a score.
– Crying loudly, the baby
wanted some attention.

20. Examples:
Jumping high, Brent hit his
head on the ceiling.
The chemist, blinded by
smoky fumes, stumbled.
Scanning the book, Ann
spotted the answer.
The box wrapped in orange
is for you.

21. Gerunds
• A gerund looks a lot like a
participle because it ends
in “-ing.”
• However, the gerund is
going to be used as a
noun.
• Gerunds will show up as
subjects, direct or indirect
objects or objects of
prepositions.

22. • Gerunds are defined as the
-ing form of a verb. They
have several functions.
1. Used as subjects and
complements
• Skiing is my favorite sport.
• Hiking can be very
strenuous.
• Seeing is believing.

23. 2. Used as objects following
prepositions and
prepositional expressions
•Thanks for tending my
children.
•The job consists of typing,
filing, and answering the
phone.

24. 3. Used as objects following
certain verbs.*
•The children enjoyed watching
the parade.
•Ms. Terrell avoided paying her
taxes until it was too late.
•Gerunds can sometimes take
objects of their own:
•Roland is afraid of making
mistakes.
•Sandy is considering leaving
New York.

25. Gerunds
• Examples:
– Chewing gum in class is not
allowed. (subject)
– I liked eating at the new
restaurant. (direct object)
– Without running very hard I
won the race.
– Abusing the warm fuzzy
kitten is not allowed in this
class. (subject)

26. Practice:
• You will be shown ten
sentences with a word or
phrase underlined.
• Identify the word or
phrases as:
– Infinitive
– Participle
– Gerund

27. Practice:
1. Sleeping soundly in his
bed, Ron was not going
to be disturbed by
anyone in his house.
2. I wanted to try out for the
lacrosse team this spring.
3. The rushing waters of the
Colorado River were
great for rafting.

28. Practice:
4. The warm fuzzy kitten,
meowing loudly in the
hallway, was a nuisance.
5. We tried shooting with the
NBA’s new basketball and
found it to be
challenging.
6. To run a mile in less than
four minutes is nearly
impossible.

29. Practice:
7. Charging wildly down the
street, the bulls tried to
crush the citizens of
Pamplona.
8. Cheating on a final exam
in English is not an
advisable solution to not
studying.
9. To sleep, perchance to
dream.

30. Practice:
10. On the sixth day of Xmas,
my true love gave to me
six geese a-laying, five
gold rings, four calling
birds, three French hens,
two turtle doves and a
partridge in a pear tree.

31. SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE!!
• Now that you can identify
these verbals, you have
the great privilege of going
on to the next great step in
verbals……..

32. DIAGRAMMING!!