This lesson helps us understand what a present participle adjective is and how to use it correctly in a sentence.
What is a Present participle adjective?
A present participle adjective is an ING form of a verb (V1+ING) that functions as an adjective.
It is a growing company.
The word ‘growing’ is modifying the noun ‘company’. It is a present participle that’s working as an adjective; it is telling us the state of the company.
Examples:
- Everyone is here to see the burning train.
- India is one of the developing countries in the world.
- Look at the shinning car. It must be very expensive.
- That was an inspiring speech. We all loved it.
- You have put me in this confusing situation.
- A smiling man is better than a crying man.
- The movie was boring. Nobody liked it.
- This entire situation is a bit overwhelming to me.
NOTE: A present participle also comes after the object of some verbs (generally verbs of perception like see, watch, hear, observe, etc)
- We saw him eating your lunch.
- I heard her crying.
Position of a Present participle adjective
A present participle adjective can take the following positions in a sentence:
- Just before the noun it modifies
- After a linking verb
- Just after the noun it modifies
Let’s study all the cases separately.
1. Just before the noun
This is the most common position of a present participle adjective. The present participle, here, sits right before a noun and gives information about it.
Examples:
- I appreciate the encouraging words.
- The swimming pool is closed today.
- I can’t do a teaching job.
- It was an amazing match.
2. After a linking verb
This is also a common position where a present participle adjective is placed in a sentence.
Examples:
- The fight coming up is really interesting.
- You are outstanding.
- This book is interesting. You should give it a read.
- His story is very motivating.
- This job should be exciting.
3. After a noun it modifies
When a present participle adjective comes right after a noun, it is often a part of a present participle phrase.
Examples:
- The man shouting there is my cousin.
- Look at the guy sitting next to the tree.
- The girl dancing on the stage is my sister.
- People working with me are happy.
- Nobody likes to talk with the man sitting on the rock alone.
Present participles that are often used as adjectives
- Shocking
- Demotivating
- Tiring
- Exhausting
- Terrifying
- Petrifying
- Frightening
- Confusing
- Frustrating
- Embarrassing
- Depressing
- Boring
- Exciting
- Thrilling
- Motivating
- Inspiring
- Amusing
- Overwhelming
- Relaxing
- Satisfying
- Amazing
- Interesting
Examples:
- His story is shocking.
- The book is really motivating.
- That was one demotivating speech.
- It was a tiring day.
- Doing this job can be exhausting.
- We can’t forget those petrifying visuals.
- Talking to her again will be really embarrassing for me.
- The movie that we watched last night was very depressing.
- This case is getting confusing.
- What an exciting match it was!
- Your story is really inspiring.
- Watching kids play is so satisfying.
- Do you find it amusing?
Interactive Quiz: Spot the Present Participle Adjective
Instruction: Identify the present participle adjective and explain its function.
- That was a frightening experience.
- The man yelling at the shopkeeper is my uncle.
- She looks stunning in that dress.
- They are watching a relaxing movie.
- The confusing instructions ruined the task.
Answers are provided at the end of the post.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Confusing present participles with gerunds
❌ Crying is annoying sometimes. (This is a gerund, a noun—not an adjective.)
✅ The crying baby kept everyone awake. (adjective)
Mistake 2: Using wrong verb forms
❌ She gave a excite speech.
✅ She gave an exciting speech.
Comparison Table: Present Participle Adjective vs Gerund
Function | Example | Explanation |
Present participle adjective | The crying baby woke everyone up. | “Crying” describes the noun ‘baby’ |
Gerund (noun) | Neha hates crying. | “Crying” is a gerund used as the object of the verb ‘love’. |
| Present participle adjective | She saw a sleeping cat on the sofa. | “Sleeping” modifies the noun ‘cat’ |
| Gerund (noun) | Sleeping is important for your health. | “Sleeping” is the subject |
Quiz answer
- frightening – A present participle adjective describing the noun experience, showing what kind of experience it was.
- yelling – A present participle used in a present participle phrase (yelling at the shopkeeper) modifying the noun man.
- stunning – A present participle adjective that comes after the linking verb looks, describing the subject she (predicate adjective).
- relaxing – A present participle adjective modifying the noun movie, indicating the effect or nature of the movie.
- Confusing – A present participle adjective modifying instructions, showing that the instructions caused confusion.
FAQs
Q1: Can present participles be used as adjectives?
Yes! When a verb ending in –ing describes a noun or pronoun, it’s acting as an adjective.
Example: The crying baby = crying describes baby.
Q2: Are all –ing words adjectives?
No. Some are gerunds (nouns).
Example: Crying is good for mental health = subject, not adjective.
Q3: What’s the difference between a present participle adjective and a regular adjective?
Regular adjectives are standalone (e.g. beautiful), while present participle adjectives come from verbs (e.g. confusing from confuse).
Q4: Can I use a participle phrase instead of just an adjective?
Yes.
The woman dancing in red = present participle phrase modifying “woman.”
Q5: Do participle adjectives change form with the noun’s number?
No.
One interesting book / Two interesting books — “interesting” stays the same.
Also, check out this post on past participle adjectives.
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Which sentence is correct, “I like reading books.” or “I like books reading.”? And what are the parts of speech of each word in both sentences?
The first sentence is grammatically correct. The object of a verb comes after it, not before it.
The subject of the sentence = I
The main verb = like (transitive)
The object of the verb = reading books (gerund phrase)
Gerund phrase breakdown = reading (gerund), books (object of the gerund ‘reading’)
Thank You Sir
I want a cleaning or cleaned instument.which one will be correct?and why
Both are correct and render different meanings.
Example 1: “I want a cleaning instrument” = I want an instrument that is used for cleaning things.
Example 2: “I want a cleaned instrument” = I want an instrument that has been cleaned.
Depending upon the context and the meaning you want to give, both can be used. Hope this helps, Rasmita.