A participle is a form of a verb which is used partly like a verb, partly like an adjective, - a verbal adjective. In the sentence "The boy standing in the corner is Fred," standing is partly verb, partly adjective.

The present participle always ends in -ing; the past participle is one of the principal parts of a verb (see sect. 83); the perfect participle is having joined with a past participle; as, having studied, having eaten.

The skillful writer finds participles valuable in aiding him to secure variety in his sentence structure. Yet he is exceedingly careful about them, for confusion, and sometimes absurdity, results from failure to construct the sentence so that it shows clearly just what word the participle modifies.

Exercises

246. Discuss the following sentences:

While I was coming to school While coming to school this this morning, a woman entered morning, a woman entered the the car at K Street. car at K Street.

247. Discuss the following sentences:

1. Last Sunday, while walking down Bates Street, a large crowd had gathered on the bridge.

2. While crossing a street the other day, a car stopped in front of me.

3. While standing in my yard, a strange dog strolled in.

4. After taking our seats, the secretary read the report.

248. See whether you can find in your themes any participles which do not clearly modify some noun or pronoun. Read to the class five of your sentences which contain participles, and show what word each of the latter modifies.

249. Show why, in these sentences, the use of the participles is correct:

1. While walking along Huntington Avenue Wednesday, I saw a group of men drilling.

2. Making her way round the foot of the rock, she suddenly found herself close to her husband.

3. Leaning upon the butt of his gun, the muzzle of which rested upon the withered leaves, he was apparently absorbed in the contemplation of some object at his feet.

4. Having a taste for sights of this kind, and imagining, likewise, that the illumination of the bonfire might reveal some profundity of moral truth heretofore hidden in mist or darkness, I made it convenient to journey thither.

250. Rewrite the following sentences in order to show unmistakably just what word each participle modifies:

1. The other morning, while walking to school with some other boys, a furniture wagon passed us.

2. While jumping from place to place on the treacherous moving ice, my knife was shaken from its sheath and disappeared down an air hole.

3. In doing so, his foot missed the step and went under the wheel of the wagon.

4. After hitching the horses to the cab again and clearing away the debris, the car and the cab resumed their journey.

5. Before using this machinery, shoes were made by hand.

6. Seizing my hat and sweater, accompanied by my two brothers, we ran in the direction that the fire apparatus had taken.

7. Running from the house, the wind, which was blowing a gale, helped to fan the fire, and in a very short time the woman was enveloped in flames.

8. Starting off again, the top of the hill came into view, and soon we were there.

9. On returning to the deck, the sea assumed a very different aspect.

10. Upon awakening next morning, the boat was far out to sea.

11. After marching over the plains, the army was reached.

12. One day while watching a football game on Curtis Field, a quarterback made a run round the end.

13. After being banished, his love for his master increases instead of decreases, and he tries to aid the king by becoming his counselor.

14. While traveling at this rate through the air, the earth seems to be one continuous strip.