VERBALS October, 2013 What is a verbal? A

VERBALS October, 2013

What is a verbal? A verbal is a verb functioning as some other part of speech. There are three types of verbals: Gerunds, Infinitives, Participles.

What is a Gerund? Gerund is a word that ends with - ing A verb functioning as a noun. It can be anything as a noun is: Subject Direct object Indirect object Object of a preposition Predicate nominative Predicate appositional

Examples Subject: Talking loudly always attracts attention. Direct object: Everyone in my family enjoys watching the series. Indirect object: He gave voting for class president careful thought.

Examples Continued Object of a preposition: She worked eight hours without taking a break. Predicate nominative: A great thrill for her was winning the state tennis tournament. Apposition: Dad’s hobby, carving wooden soldiers, has taught him much about history.

What is a gerund phrase? A group of words beginning with a gerund and followed most often by modifiers, direct objects and/or prepositional phrases. My teacher likes questioning us on our math skills.

Gerund Punctuation A gerund never requires any punctuation with it (an exception would be a gerund set off by commas because it is an appositive, not because it is a gerund). My favourite sport, running track, is a great exercise.

Gerund Forms

Activities Age and Gerunds What activities do you enjoy doing...

Photographic Memory Remember + Gerund to recall a memory

«About Me» I really enjoy living with my brother I can’t stand watching television I don’t mind touching a chalk board I usually avoid staying alone I often miss doing the dishes after meal

What is an Infinitive? It is the simplest verb form that usually begins with to. It is used as a - a noun - an adjective - an adverb

Examples It can be subject: To wait seemed foolish when action was required. direct object: Everyone wanted to go. subject complement: His ambition was to fly. modifying adjective: He lacked the strength to resist. modifying adverb: We must study to learn.

What is an infinitive phrase? It is a group of words consisting of an infinitive and followed most often by modifying direct objects, and/or prepositional phrases: We intended to leave early.

Infinitive Forms

Infinitive Punctuation If the Infinitive is used as an adverb and is the beginning phrase in a sentence, it should be set off with a comma; otherwise, no punctuation is needed for the infinitive phrase unless it is used as an appositive that is non-essential. To buy a basket of flowers, John had to spend his last dollar.

Activities «Do It Yourself, Mr. Bean.»

Possible Solutions Your co-workers have designed a website. They made it really clean, minimalist, and dark. However, their customer asked them to redesign it and make it more user-friendly. Your friends came to you for advice. You've got an opportunity to change the appearance of your working space. Suggest three ways to make it more comfortable. Your team is going to present the project you were working on. The project manager comes up to you and asks how to make the presentation more interesting and fun. You can buy new computers to make work more effective.

What is a Participle? It is a verb functioning as an adjective (a word that modifies a noun or pronoun). In present tense it ends in –ing. In past tense it ends in –ed or has V-3

What is a participle phrase? It is a group of words consisting of a participle and modifiers and/or direct objects, indirect objects, and/or prepositional phrases. Removing his coat, Jack rushed to the water.

Participle Punctuation When a participle phrase begins a sentence, a comma should be placed after the phrase: Arriving at the store, I found that it was closed. If a participle phrase comes at the end and directly follows the word it modifiers, you should not use a comma: They often saw Paul wandering through the streets.

Participle Punctuation If the participle or participle phrase comes in the middle of a sentence, it should be set off with a comma; otherwise, no punctuation is needed for the infinitive phrase unless it is used as an appositive that is non-essential: Sid, watching an old movie, drifted in and out of sleep. The girl swimming in the pool is my friend.

Present Participle Forms

Past Participle Forms

Causative Verbs let + person + verb - "to allow someone to do something.“ - John let me drive his new car. make + person + verb - "to force someone to do something.“- My teacher made me apologize for what I had said. have + person + verb -"to give someone the responsibility to do something.“ - Dr. Smith had his nurse take the patient's temperature. get + person + to + verb - "to convince to do something" or "to trick someone into doing something.“ - Susie got her son to take the medicine even though it tasted terrible.

Activities Who’s the Boss? subject + causative verb + object + past participle + (agent).

Neighborhood Gossip A asks B (on the left): Have you heard about Mr. Jones? B replies: No, what? / No, tell me. A then shares the gossip: Mr. Jones let his dog eat all the flowers in Mrs. Greenwood’s garden. B reacts appropriately: Oh my! Really? Etc. B to C (on the left): Guess what? Mr. Jones let his dog eat all the flowers in Mrs. Greenwood’s garden…and you know what else? Mrs. Greenwood got her son to build a fence around her garden so the dog can’t get in anymore.

Gerunds vs Infinitives

Gerunds vs Infinitives Use Gerunds to refer to actions that are: vivid, real, ongoing in the present or competed in the past. Use Infinitives to refer to actions that are: hypothetical, unfulfilled or future- oriented.

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