Verbals

Verbals

By Christina Hicks

A verbal is a form of a verb that is used as a noun, adjective, or adverb. There are three types of verbals: gerunds, participles, and infinitives.

Poll

How well do you understand verbals?

• 3 - Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy

• 2 - OK, but I could use some help

• 1 - Literally no idea what's going on

Verbals

Participles

A participle is a verb form that ends in -ing, -d, or -ed and that acts as an adjective, modifying a noun or a pronoun.

​Examples:

The laughing children played in the park.

The tired baby soon fell asleep.​

​Note: "laughing" and "tired" are usually verbs, but as participles, they are describing nouns: "children" and "baby."

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Identify the participle: I'll fix these broken things.

("This Love" by Maroon 5)

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Identify the participle: Never mind your bleeding heart.

("Bleeding Heart" by Regina Spektor)

Verbals

Gerunds

A gerund is a verb form, that ends in -ing, and acts as a noun.

​Examples:

Being captain of the debate team is a demanding role. (subject)

He didn't particularly like being captain. (direct object)

He wrote an essay about the challenges of being captain. (object of preposition)​

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Fill in the Blanks

Identify the gerund: Loving you is a losing game.

("Loving You Is a Losing Game" by Duncan Laurence)

Fill in the Blanks

Identify the gerund: Why do I tire of counting sheep?

("Fireflies" by Owl City)

Verbals

Infinitive

An infinitive consists of the base form of the verb plus the word to, as in to walk. Infinitives may act as adjectives, adverbs, or nouns.

Examples:

To have tried was worth the trouble. (subject)

He has a tendency to dream. (adjective).

She is ready to go. (adverb)​

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Fill in the Blanks

Identify the infinitive: I want to break free.

("I Want to Break Free" by Queen)

Fill in the Blanks

Identify the infinitive: Didn't make sense not to live for fun.

("All Star" by Smashing Pumpkins)

Poll

How well do you understand verbals?

• 3 - Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy

• 2 - OK, but I could use a little help

• 1 - Literally no idea what's going on