Participle phrase & infinitive phrase

Terminology

• clause
  • a part of a sentence that contains a finite verb (a verb that has a subject)
• complement
  • a word, phrase, or dependent clause that adds information to a subject or verb (as part of the predicate)
• finite verb
  • a verb that has a subject
  • it is "finite" because it is "bound to" or associated with a subject
• infinitive
  • the "to" form of a verb
    • ex. to be, to play, to believe
    • infinitives can act as a noun, adjective, or adverb
• non-finitive verb
  • a verb that does not have a subject
  • and it therefore does not act as a verb, and instead acts as a noun (called "gerund"), adjective, or adverb
    • non-finite verbs are either participles or infinitives
      • (note: not all participles are non-finite)
• object
  • a noun or noun phrase that is the recipient of a verb or preposition
    • ex.
      • She kicked the ball ("ball" = object or "kicked")
      • He ran to school ("to school" = prepositional phrase complement of the verb "ran")
• participle
  • the -ing or -ed form of a verb
• phrase
  • two or more words that do not have a finite verb
  • participle phrases and infinitive phrases are formed by the non-finite forms of verbs as either participles or infinitives
• sentence
  • a grammatically complete thought
    • grammatically complete = contains a finite verb (subject-verb)
  • logically complete = does not need more information to complete the thought

Finite and Non-Finite Verbs & their complements

Non-finite verbs & complements

• "complements" are words or phrases that "complement" or "go along with" a subject or verb
• verbs have complements in the forms of
  • objects
  • adverbs
  • prepositional phrases
  • dependent or "subordinate" clauses
• the idea is the the "verb complement" adds information to the predicate (which is the verb and its complements)

Finite & Non-Finite verbs and complements

Participle (non-finite verb)	Participle Complement	Subject	Verb	Complements	Participle (non-finite verb)	Participle Complement
		(The) student	reads	a textbook on his own
		(The) student	reads	a textbook on his own	to learn	more effectively
		(The) student	reads	a textbook on his own	, learning	more effectively
To learn	more effectively	(the) student	reads	a textbook on his own
Reading	a textbook on his own	(the) student	learns	more effectively
		(The) student	learns	on his own	reading	after school
		(The) student	learns	after school	reading	on his own

Examples of participle phrase placement

• participle = the -ing or -ed forms of a verb
  • participles may serve as finite (take a subject) or non-finite (no subject)
  • finite forms of participles are
    • -ing present participle = present continuous tense
      • It is snowing'; They are playing
    • -ed past participle = simple past tense
      • It snowed'; They played
  • non-finite forms of participles are
    • -ing present participle adjective
      • Snowing all day, the car was buried'; The boys playing around got in trouble
    • -ing "gerund" (present participle noun)
      • Snowing out makes me happy; Playing in the show is fun
    • -ed past participle adjective
      • The snowed in car was stuck'; The team played
• participle phrase
  • a participle phrase is two or more words that have a non-finite verb (i.e., no subject)
  • (note: if a finite verb is present (subject-verb), it is a clause)
    • participle phrases add information to another word or clause
    • ex.>:
      • present participle phrase: Playing hard, they lost anyway
      • past participle phrase: Played poorly, they lost the game

Participle phrase example 1

• Sentence:

Students read the textbook studying for the test

• Grammatical forms:

• Parts of speech:

Participle phrase example 2

• Sentence:

Studying for the test, students read the textbook

• Grammatical forms:

• Parts of speech:

Participle phrase example 3

• Sentence:

Students studying for the test read the textbook

• Grammatical forms:

• Parts of speech: