Participle phrases quiz with explanations

Explanation: A participle phrase does not rename a noun/pronoun. It just gives information about the noun indicating an action that the subject (noun/pronoun) performed.

Explanation: A participle or participial phrase can give both essential or nonessential information about the noun/pronoun it modifies in a sentence. When it acts as essential information, it is not offset with commas and comes right after the noun/pronoun. It needs commas to be offset when it gives extra/nonessential information about the noun/pronoun it modifies.

Without commas (essential/restrictive participle phrase):

1. The man looking at us is my boss. (modifying ‘man’)
2. One of the people injured in the accident belongs to a political family. (modifying ‘people’)

With commas (nonessential/nonrestrictive participle phrase):

1. Jon Jones, known as the G.O.A.T of MMA, was arrested last night. (modifying ‘Jon Jones’ with extra information)
2. Wanting to move on, Sarah broke up with Rohan. (modifying ‘Sarah’ with extra information)

Explanation: There are 3 types of participle phrases in English:

1. Present participle phrase
2. Past participle phrase
3. Perfect participle phrase

Explanation: A present participle phrase does not function as a noun; it identifies a noun/pronoun and works as an adjective in a sentence.

Explanation: The phrase ‘looking at us from the big van’ is a present participle phrase that’s modifying the noun ‘man’. It tells us which man the speaker is talking about.

Breakdown:

looking at us from the big van = present participle phrase
looking = present participle
at us = adverbial phrase (modifying ‘looking’)
from the big van = another adverbial phrase (modifying ‘looking’)

Explanation: ‘Listening to me carefully’ is a present participle phrase in the sentence. It comes next to the pronoun ‘anyone’ and modifies it with a description.

‘Listening to people who are into meditation is a gerund phrase in the first example, and ‘listening to your fairy tales’ is a part of the complete predicate in the second example.

Explanation: The phrase ‘renovated recently’ is a past participle phrase in the sentence. It modifies the subject of the main clause ‘house’ and gives nonessential information about it.

There is no other past or any other participle phrase in the other sentences.

Explanation: ‘killed in the accident‘ is a past participle phrase that sits next to the noun ‘person’ and modifies it with essential information. It helps us identify the man the speaker is talking about. Which person? The person who was killed in the accident.

It functions as a postmodifier in the noun phrase ‘the person killed in the accident’.

Explanation: ‘Having known him for years’ is a perfect participle phrase. It starts with the present participle ‘having’ and is followed by a past participle ‘known’. It identifies the subject ‘I’ and gives information about it.

The phrase ‘having worked with you’ is a gerund phrase working as the object of the preposition ‘of’. It is in the perfect form. Do not confuse it with a perfect participle phrase.

Explanation: ‘Having paid the fine’ is a perfect participle phrase. It modifies the subject ‘Seema’. The phrase ‘having you on the team’ is a gerund phrase working as the subject (noun) of the sentence.

Explanation: ‘Holding a glass of milk’ is a present participle phrase in the sentence, modifying the subject ‘Joanna’. The sentence does not have any other type of participle phrase.

Explanation: ‘Living in Mumbai’ is a present participle phrase that modifies the noun ‘friends’ and functions as an adjective. The sentence does not have any other participle phrase.

Don’t confuse the phrase ‘having my company anymore’ with a perfect or present participle phrase. It is a gerund phrase working as the object of the preposition ‘with’.

Explanation: ‘Having seen the movie twice already’ is a perfect participle phrase in the sentence. It modifies the subject ‘I’. The phrase ‘going to the theatre’ is a gerund phrase, not a present participle phrase.

Explanation: ‘Burnt in the fire’ is a past participle phrase in the sentence. It modifies the noun ‘things’. The phrase ‘buying the things burnt in the fire’ is a gerund phrase, not a present participle phrase.

Explanation: ‘Having finished the test’ is a perfect participle phrase in the sentence, modifying the subject ‘we’. It starts with a present participle ‘having’ and is followed by a past participle ‘finished’.

The phrase ‘having some drinks’ is a gerund phrase, working as the object of the preposition ‘for’. It is not a present participle phrase.

Explanation: ‘Motivated by my friends’ is a past participle phrase that identifies and modifies the noun ‘Ashish’. It starts with the past participle ‘motivated’ and a prepositional phrase.

‘Teaching business’ is a part of the noun phrase ‘own teaching business’.

Explanation: A past participle or any participle phrase can come before a noun as an introductory modifier.

Ex- Launched two months back, my book is doing really well.

The past participle phrase, italicized, is coming before the noun ‘book’ (at the beginning of the sentence) and modifying it.

Explanation: A perfect participle phrase can’t start with any present participle phrase. It always starts with ‘having’.