Unlocking the Power of Verbals: Gerunds, Participles and Infinitives

Introduction

Verbals, derived from verbs, play versatile roles in English grammar. They appear as gerunds, participles, or infinitives and function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. A solid grasp of these forms enhances fluency and precision in writing and speaking. This module focuses on understanding, applying, and mastering verbals to excel in exams and practical usage.


Table of Contents

  1. Overview of Verbals
    • Definition and Importance
    • Types of Verbals
  2. Gerunds
    • Definition and Functions
    • Examples and Rules
  3. Participles
    • Present Participles
    • Past Participles
    • Perfect Participles
  4. Infinitives
    • Bare and Full Infinitives
    • Functions in Sentences
  5. Common Errors in Verbals
  6. Applications and Examples
  7. Exercises and Practice Questions
    • Multiple-Choice Questions
    • Long Descriptive Questions
    • Fill-in-the-Blanks

1. Overview of Verbals

Definition and Importance

  • Verbals are verb forms functioning as other parts of speech: nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.
  • Importance: Verbals add variety and complexity to sentences, making communication more effective.

Types of Verbals

  • Gerunds: Verbs ending in -ing that function as nouns.
  • Participles: Verb forms acting as adjectives.
  • Infinitives: Base forms of verbs, often preceded by “to,” functioning as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.

2. Gerunds

Definition and Functions

  • Gerunds are verb forms ending in -ing that act as nouns.
  • Functions:
    • Subject: Swimming is fun.
    • Object: He enjoys dancing.
    • Complement: Her hobby is reading.

Examples and Rules

  • Gerunds can be modified by adjectives or possessive pronouns.
    • Example: Her singing impressed the audience.
  • Use gerunds after specific verbs like enjoy, avoid, consider.
    • Example: They avoided speaking loudly.

3. Participles

Present Participles

  • Verb forms ending in -ing used as adjectives.
    • Example: The crying baby needs attention.

Past Participles

  • Usually ending in -ed, -en, or irregular forms.
    • Example: The broken vase lay on the floor.

Perfect Participles

  • Combine “having” with a past participle.
    • Example: Having finished his homework, he went out to play.

4. Infinitives

Bare and Full Infinitives

  • Bare Infinitive: Base form without “to.”
    • Example: Let him go.
  • Full Infinitive: Base form with “to.”
    • Example: To err is human.

Functions in Sentences

  • As Nouns: To read is his favorite activity.
  • As Adjectives: She has a book to read.
  • As Adverbs: He came to help.

5. Common Errors in Verbals

  • Confusing gerunds and present participles.
  • Misplacing modifiers.
  • Using incorrect forms of infinitives.
    • Incorrect: She avoided to speak.
    • Correct: She avoided speaking.

6. Applications and Examples

  • Gerund: Writing essays requires practice.
  • Present Participle: The running water was cold.
  • Infinitive: He plans to travel next summer.

7. Exercises and Practice Questions

Multiple-Choice Questions

  1. Identify the gerund:
    • A) Running
    • B) To run
    • C) Ran
    • D) Runs
    • Answer: A) Running
  2. Choose the sentence with a past participle:
    • A) The crying child was consoled.
    • B) The broken chair was fixed.
    • Answer: B) The broken chair was fixed.
  3. Which sentence uses an infinitive as an adverb?
    • A) To swim is her goal.
    • B) He runs to stay fit.
    • Answer: B) He runs to stay fit.

Long Descriptive Questions

  1. Differentiate between gerunds and present participles with examples.
    • Answer: Gerunds act as nouns (e.g., Swimming is fun), while present participles act as adjectives (e.g., The swimming child is happy).
  2. Explain the role of infinitives as adjectives with examples.
    • Answer: Infinitives modify nouns, providing additional information. Example: I need a book to read.

Fill-in-the-Blanks

  1. She enjoys ________ (dance).
    • Answer: dancing
  2. The ________ (break) window was repaired.
    • Answer: broken

 

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