Identifying Participles

Participles and Participial Phrases

by Nedra Holmes-Goodloe

Multiple Choice

Identify the participle or participles in the following sentence.

People throughout the world have considered the flying Wright brothers the first pilots.

• considered

• flying

• both considered and flying

Fill in the Blank

Type the participle in the following sentence. Write whether it is part of a verb phrase or is used as an adjective

Even as young children, the Wright brothers were fascinated by machines of all types

Fill in the Blank

Type the participle in the following sentence. Write whether it is part of a verb phrase or is used as an adjective

Otto Lilienthal did pioneering work.

Poll

Does the following sentence need a comma or commas to set off the participial phrase?

Witnessed by only a few the first successful flight gained little recognition for the Wright brothers.

• comma

• no comma

Multiple Choice

What word does the participial phrase modify in this sentence?

Witnessed by only a few, the first successful flight gained little recognition for the Wright brothers.

• first

• flight

• recognition

• brothers

Poll

Does the following sentence need a comma or commas to set off the participial phrase?

A statement issued to the press about the Wright brothers' achievements received almost no attention.

• comma

• no comma

Fill in the Blank

Identify the participial phrase in the following sentence.

A statement issued to the press about the Wright brothers' achievements received almost no attention.

Multiple Choice

What word does the participial phrase modify in this sentence?

A statement issued to the press about the Wright brothers' achievements received almost no attention.

• statement

• brothers'

• achievements

• attention