ELEVENTH WEEK VERBAL: PARTICIPLE OR INFINITIVE?

Transcription

1 ELEVENTH WEEK VERBAL: PARTICIPLE OR INFINITIVE? I. REVIEW A. GERUND--used as a noun. Reality. B. INFINITIVE--used as a noun. Possibility. THE PARTICIPLE AND THE INFINITIVE I. BASIC DIFFERENCE N MEANING A. PARTICIPLE--used as adjective or adverb. Refers to past or present reality. B. INFINITIVE--used as adjective or adverb. Refers to future possibility or purpose. II. AFTER A NOUN A. INFINITIVE The Hsintien River is a dangerous place to swim Noun Infinitive (used as Adjective) purpose--possibility B. INFINITIVE PHRASE Taipei New Park is a good place to exercise in the morning. Noun Infinitive Phrase (used as Adjective) purpose--possibility C. PARTICIPIAL PHRASE The man sitting in the front row is a newspaper reporter. Noun Restrictive Participial Phrase---tells us which man is a newspaper reporter His mother, sitting in the front row, had a good view of the stage. Noun Nonrestrictive Participial Phrase--He has only one mother, so the phrase is not necessary to tell us which mother. NOTE: The participial phrase tells us what the man or his mother is actually doing. D. PARTICIPLE (Nonrestrictive Only) Fred, yelling, ran after the train as it pulled out of the station. Noun Participle (Nonrestrictive)

2 NOTE: A restrictive participle is placed before the noun it modifies like an ordinary adjective. The speeding motorcycle ran into a taxi. Participle Noun (Restrictive) AFTER A NOUN (1) INFINITIVE or INFINITIVE PHRASE--used as adjective describing the noun s purpose and possibility. (2) PARTICIPIAL PHRASE (Restrictive or Nonrestrictive)--used as adjective describing what the noun is really doing. (3) PARTICIPLE (Nonrestrictive only)--used as adjective describing what the noun is really doing. III. BEGINNING OF A SENTENCE A. INFINITIVE To win, you must practice every day. Infin. B. INFINITIVE PHRASE To impress his girlfriend, he took her to an expensive restaurant for dinner. Infinitive Phrase C. PARTICIPLE Sleeping, he was awakened by the class bell. Participle (Adjective--modifies he, tells us what he was really doing) NOT CORRECT: Sleeping, the class bell rang. Participle (Adjective--does not describe the subject class bell; therefore, not correct.) D. PARTICIPIAL PHRASE Studying late at night, he had to stop when the lights went out. (Adjective--modifies he, tells us what he was really doing) NOT CORRECT:? Studying late at night, the lights went out.? (Adjective--does not describe the subject lights; therefore, not correct.)

3 E. PARTICIPIAL PHRASE with its OWN SUBJECT The door being unlocked, the thief entered the house. (Adverb--describes under what condition the thief was able to enter.) BEGINNING OF A SENTENCE (1) INFINITIVE or INFINITIVE PHRASE--used as adverb telling us the purpose of the action. (2) PARTICIPLE or PARTICIPIAL PHRASE--used as adjective describing the subject of the sentence. (3) PARTICIPLE with its OWN SUBJECT--used as adverb modifying the verb in the sentence. IV. AFTER A VERB A. INFINITIVE He worked hard to succeed. Infin. B. INFINITIVE PHRASE He headed south to escape the cold weather. Infinitive Phrase C. PARTICIPLE Bob walked down the street, whistling. Participle (Adverb--manner) D. PARTICIPIAL PHRASE Bill climbed into bed, exhausted from the day s work. (Adverb--condition) AFTER A VERB (1) INFINITIVE or INFINITIVE PHRASE--used as adverb telling us the purpose of the verb s action. (2) PARTICIPLE or PARTICIPIAL PHRASE--used as adverb describing the manner or condition in which the action of the verb took place.

4 V. SUBJECT COMPLEMENT N N + LV + N + LV + ADJ. GERUND INFINITIVE PARTICIPLE A. N + LV + N (GERUND or INFINITIVE) (1) GERUND as SUBJECT COMPLEMENT--refers to a past or present reality His job is solving problems on the production line. GERUND PHRASE = NOUN (Subject Complement--tells us what his job actually involves now. (2) INFINITIVE as SUBJECT COMPLEMENT--refers to a future hope or possibility His goal is to get a job with the General Electric Company. INFINITIVE PHRASE = NOUN (Subject Complement--tells us what he hopes to do in the future.) B. N + LV + ADJ. (PARTICIPLE) (1) PRESENT PARTICIPLE as SUBJECT COMPLEMENT That book is exciting. PARTICIPLE = ADJECTIVE (Subject Complement--tells us how the book influences or affects people.) (2) PAST PARTICIPLE as SUBJECT COMPLEMENT Bob is excited. PARTICIPLE = ADJECTIVE (Subject Complement--describes Bob s emotional condition, what he is feeling.) C. COMPARE GERUND and PARTICIPLE as SUBJECT COMPLEMENT (1) GERUND His favorite recreation is swimming. GERUND = NOUN (Subject Complement--describes an activity. Swimming is one kind of recreation.)

5 (2) PARTICIPLE That movie is thrilling PARTICIPLE = ADJECTIVE (Subject Complement--describes the influence or effect of the movie on our feelings.) GERUND as SUBJECT COMPLEMENT--refers to an activity PARTICIPLE as SUBJECT COMPLEMENT--refers to the influence, condition, or feeling of the subject. NOTE: He is swimming. VI--Present Continuous (Subject is a living thing and Verb+ing describes as action.) VI. MODIFIER + NOUN A. ADJECTIVE + NOUN The big dog chased strangers away. ADJ NOUN The barking dog chased strangers away. PARTIC. NOUN (Adjective--tells us what the dog is doing.) B. NOUN + NOUN His sports jacket is new. NOUN NOUN His hunting jacket is new. GERUND NOUN (Noun--tells us the purpose of the jacket.) (1) PRESENT PARTICIPLE + NOUN--tells us what the noun is doing. (2) GERUND + NOUN--tells us the purpose of the noun, what it is used for.

6 OVERALL There are three positions where we can find both infinitives and participles used as adjectives or adverbs. (1) AFTER A NOUN INFINITIVE OR INFINITIVE PHRASE--used as adjective describing the purpose or possibility of the noun. PARTICIPIAL PHRASE (Restrictive or Nonrestrictive)--used as adjective. Present Participle--what the noun is actually doing Past Participle--the condition of the noun PARTICIPLE (Nonrestrictive Only)--use and meaning same as for participial phrase (2) BEGINNING OF A SENTENCE INFINITIVE OR INFINITIVE PHRASE--used as adverb describing the purpose of the verb. PARTICIPLE OR PARTICIPIAL PHRASE-used as adjective modifying the subject. PARTICIPLE with its OWN SUBJECT--used as adverb describing the condition under which the action of the verb takes place (3) AFTER A VERB INFINITIVE OR INFINITIVE PHRASE--used as adverb describing purpose PARTICIPLE OR PARTICIPIAL PHRASE--used as adverb describing manner or condition