Participle Phrase
Sometimes a word or phrase appears to be a verb when, in fact, it’s something else. It’s
important to look at the function that a word or phrase plays in a sentence before
determining its part of speech.
What Is a Participial Phrase?
A participle is a verb form that functions as an adjective by modifying nouns and
pronouns. A participle can be either a present participle or a past participle.
A participial phrase includes the participle, plus any modifiers and complements.
Present Participle Examples:
(Shivering is the present participle. It modifies couple .)
The sobbing child held his injured knee.
(Sobbing is the present participle. It modifies child .)
The cascading waterfall poured down over the rocks.
(Cascading is the present participle. It modifies waterfall .)
Sweeping across the night sky, the bats hunted their prey.
(Sweeping is the present participle, and sweeping across the night sky is the participial
phrase. The participial phrase modifies bats .)
Quickly checking over his answers, Patrick handed in his test just before time ran
out.
(Checking is the present participle, and quickly checking over his answers is the
participial phrase. The participial phrase modifies Patrick .)
Searching the glove compartment, Evangeline looked for her sunglasses.
(Searching is the present participle, and searching the glove compartment is the
participial phrase. The participial phrase modifies Evangeline .)
Past Participle Examples:
(Fallen is the past participle. It modifies tree .)
The broken window needed to get repaired quickly.
(Broken is the past participle. It modifies window .)
To make the batter, stir the beaten eggs into the flour.
(Beaten is the past participle. It modifies eggs .)
Excited about dinner, Hari ran the whole way home.
(Excited is the past participle, and excited about dinner is the participial phrase. The
participial phrase modifies Hari .)
Frightened by the loud fireworks, the dog hid under the couch.
(Frightened is the past participle, and frightened by the loud fireworks is the participial
phrase. The participial phrase modifies dog .)
Injured during the soccer match, Marco had to leave the field.
(Injured is the past participle, and injured during the soccer match is the participial
phrase. The participial phrase modifies Marco .)
RULES FOR FINDING AND FIXING MISPLACED AND DANGLING MODIFIERS
What is a misplaced modifier? • What is a
dangling modifier? • How do I fix a misplaced
modifier? • How do I fix a dangling modifier?
Understand the problem.
Think of modifiers as arrows shot from a bow and the words they describe as bull's-
eyes. For clear, logical sentences, writers aim modifiers so that they strike as close to
the intended targets as possible.
Sneering with superiority, Roland drank iced tea from a
crystal glass that sparkled in the afternoon sun .
Sneering with superiority, a participle phrase, describes Roland, the noun right after
it. That sparkled in the afternoon sun, a relative clause, describes glass, the noun in
front.
Recognizing Misplaced Modifiers
When a writer's aim is off and too much distance separates the modifier from its target,
the result is a misplaced modifier.
Sucking warm water from a rubber hose, envious looks were shot
Roland's way as the othe r picnickers quenched their own thirst.
Sucking warm water from a rubber hose, a participle phrase, should
describe picnickers, but since that noun is so far away, the phrase seems to be
modifying envious looks, which don't have mouths that can suck water!
Recognizing Dangling Modifiers
If the sentence fails to include a target, the modifier is dangling.
With a sigh of pleasure , consumption of cucumber sandwiches
commenced.
We assume that Roland is the one sighing with pleasure and eating cucumber
sandwiches, but notice that he's not in the sentence, so we can't tell for sure!
Know the solution.
Misplaced and dangling modifiers make sentences awkward and inelegant. They keep
sentences from expressing clear, straightforward ideas. When you discover a misplaced
or dangling modifier in a sentence, you will need to rearrange and/or revise the
sentence parts to untangle the idea the sentence wants to express.
Fixing Misplaced Modifiers
Rearranging sentence parts will often fix a misplaced modifier. Remember that most
modifiers come as close to their targets as possible:
Here is the original error:
Sucking warm water from a rubber hose, envi ous looks were shot
Roland's way as the other picnickers quenched their own thirst.
If we move things around, the modifier hits the right target:
Sucking warm water from a rubber hose, the other
picnickers quenched their own thirst as they shot envious looks
Roland's way.
Now we have picnickers drinking from the rubber hose, which is clear and logical!
Fixing Dangling Modifiers
To fix a dangling modifier, you will need to add a target to the sentence and then tweak
the remaining words to make sense.
Here is the original error without a logical target:
With a sigh of pleasure , consumption of cucumber sandwiches
commenced.
Notice that the addition of a target makes the sentence clear:
W ith a sigh of pleasure, Roland began to consume cucumber
sandwiches.
After Roland sighed with pleasure, he began to consume cucumber
sandwiches.
Now we know who got to eat that delicious snack!
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