English Grammar 101 - Lesson 3-8

English Grammar 101
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English Grammar

T	he Present Participial Phrase Lesson 3-8

Comments:
Prompt:	As a verbal, the present participle is often combined with a prepositional phrase. The result is a participial phrase serving as an adjective. The participial phrase often follows the noun it modifies.
Example:	The man standing next to Jim is my teacher. The phrase "standing next to Jim" is a present participial phrase and the phrase modifies the noun "man".
Directions:	Each sentence below contains a present participial phrase. Click to select all the words in the participial phrase in each sentence.

	1.	The snow falling outside the house is beautiful.
	2.	The road winding through the town is narrow.
	3.	The ranch house nesting in the valley is my home.
	4.	There were antelope grazing on the hill.
	5.	The black horse running through the corral is mine.
	6.	The other horses drinking from the stream are ours.
	7.	The horse ranch stretching out for miles was beautiful.
	8.	The prairie sod, consisting of grass roots, was tough. (why the commas?)
	9.	The settlers traveling by covered wagon built sod homes.
	10.	We enjoyed the buffaloes roaming near our camp.
	11.	The settlers watched the horizon circling before them.
	12.	The Indians riding on horseback could be seen.
	13.	The trail was near a river running with cool water.
	14.	The wagons formed a train stretching for a mile.
	15.	We could see the wagons sailing like prairie schooners.
	16.	The wagons formed a corral circling the encampment.
	17.	The settlers made campfires glowing through the night.
	18.	Children, singing by the fireside, enjoyed the camp. (commas?)
	19.	Coyotes, yelping at the moon, circled the encampment. (commas?)
	20.	The first light, stretching across the sky, awoke the camp. (commas?)

Note:

Just like the adjective clause, a participial phrase that is not essential to the meaning of a sentence is marked off by commas. The writer decides.