Present Participle in English
Meaning of Participles
Participle means a word that is
derived from a verb and has characteristics of an adjective and verb.
Definition of Participles
A participle is defined as a
verbal that is derived from the root form of a verb and can be used as an
adjective as well as to construct verb tense. In other words, we can define
participle as the ‘ing’ or ‘ed’ form of a verb functioning as an adjective or a verb.
There are two types of
participles: present participle and past participle. Some sources also include a third type, perfect participle. Present participle in English is discussed in
this article. You can study Past Participles on our site Study English Page.
Present Participle in English
A present participle is the form of a verb that ends in ‘ing’ and functions as an adjective or to form verb tense. In simple words, we can say that the present participle is the ‘ing’ form of a verb which is used as an adjective or in continuous tenses.
- A crying baby gave me a ten rupee note.
- I am cleaning the
kitchen.
Present Participle Used as an Adjective
As we know an adjective
modifies a noun in a sentence. Similarly, a present participle can be used to
modify a noun in a sentence. In simple words, the ‘ing’ form of a verb can be used to perform the function of an adjective.
- She looked deeply at the magnifying glass.
- We have arranged a party for the shining stars of our school.
Present Participle Used to Form Verb Tense
To form continuous tenses,
we use the ‘ing’ form of a verb. That ‘ing’ form is called the present participle. Forming a verb tense is the function of the present participle.
- They are cultivating wheat.
- We were discussing him when he entered.
- They will be doing their homework tomorrow at 12 O’clock.
- I have been teaching for seven years.
- She had been waiting for thirty minutes when I met her.
- I will have been studying for hours by the time you come.
Present Participle in Participle Phrases
A participle phrase is a phrase
that has a participle and works just like an adjective. It modifies a noun or
equivalent in a sentence.
- Diya is next to the lady wearing the glasses with the red frame.
- Putting on his coat, he left his house.
After Verbs of movements and Positions
We can use present participle
after the verbs of movements and positions. Remember that the word go + ‘ing’ form is a
disputed point. According to Azar (English Grammarian) when the ‘ing’ form of a verb
comes after the word ‘go’, it is a gerund. Some websites say that it is
considered a present participle.
- He came running towards me.
- We go walking every night.
With the Words Spend, Waste, Catch, and Find
We can also use present
participles with these words: spend, waste, catch, and find.
- I spend 3 hours a day writing articles.
- I wasted money buying more things.
- I caught him reading my letter.
- I found her sitting in our garden.
To Explain a Reason
We use a participle phrase to
explain a cause of action. In this case, we use a present participle instead of
a phrase beginning with since, as, or because.
- Feeling hungry, I went to the kitchen and ate
something.
- Knowing that his father was coming, I stopped talking.
After Verbs of Sense
When we have verbs of sense, we
can use present participles.
- I saw him catching the ball.
- I hear someone calling Ali.
Identification of Present Participle
How to identify a present
participle in a sentence? Is any verb that ends in ‘ing’ called a present
participle? The answer is No. You have to focus on the function. If the function of the ‘ing’ form of the verb in a sentence is just like an adjective, you can call it a present participle. Similarly, if it shows an action in a sentence, it is also
called a present participle.
- Running is better for physical fitness, so I always run for 30 minutes.
- I bought a pair of running shoes because I always run for 30 minutes.
We have the word ‘running’
which is the ‘ing’ form of the verb in the above examples. The function of the word
‘running’ in the first example is as a noun. The function of the same word in the
second example is as an adjective. It modifies the noun ‘shoes’. According to
the definition of the present participle, the word ‘running’ in the second example
is a present participle.
- John is watching TV.
The word ‘watching’ is derived
from the word watch and is used in forming verb tense. Here, it is the present
participle or present participle form of the verb.
Formation of Present Participle
The present participle form of a verb is formed just by adding the suffix ‘-ing’ to the verb. When you add the
suffix ‘-ing’ to the verb, it will become a present participle. Some spelling
changes take place while adding the suffix ‘-ing’ to a verb. To learn more
about this you can study spelling rules for adding ‘ing’ to verbs on Study
English Page.
- Cry ------crying
- Steal ----stealing
- Stop ---- stopping
- Die ------dying
- Fix ------fixing
Other Key Points Related to Participles
Difference between Gerund and Present Participle
Generally, gerund and present
participle are the same things. Both of them end with ‘-ing’. The gerund is used
as a noun, and the present participle is used as an adjective and to form verb
tense.
- Jogging is better for physical fitness. (Gerund)
- I bought jogging shoes yesterday. (Present Participle)
Perfect Participle
The term perfect participle is
not a third type of participle. It is a phrase formed by combining the word
‘having’ with a past participle. They are used to show that one action happened
earlier than another.
- Having studied for five hours, Ali went out to play.
- Having finished homework, I watched a movie.
Dangling Participle
When the word being modified is
not present in a sentence or located somewhere far away, we call such a participle a
dangling participle. It creates confusion about the word being modified.
- Coming out of the shop, my purse fell on the pavement.
(Dangling Participle)
- Coming out of the shop, I dropped the purse on the
pavement. (Correct)
