MINISTRY OF THE EDUCATION OF AZERBAIJAN
NAKHCHIVAN STATE UNIVERSITY
FACULTY: FOREIGN LANGUAGES
PROFESSION: ENGLISH TEACHING
COURSE: IVA
STUDENT: MUSTAFAZADA INJI
SUBJECT: THEORITICAL COURSE
FREE WORK
NAKHCHIVAN-2020
THEME: THE PARTICIPLE AND VERBAL NOUN
PLAN:
1.Introduction
What is the Participle?
What is the Verbal noun?
2. Body part
Information about the Verbal Noun
Information about the Participle
3. Conclusion
Exercise on Participle
Exercise on Verbal Noun
VERBAL NOUNS
A verbal noun is a noun that has no verb-like properties despite being derived from
a verb.
Easy Examples of Verbal Nouns
Verbal nouns are formed in a number of ways (usually by adding a suffix to
the base form of the verb). For example:
Verbal
Verb Example in a Sentence
Noun
To building It was a lovely building.
build The money will fund the building of a bridge.
To arrival Their arrival has been delayed.
arrive
To repetition I do not want another repetition of yesterday.
repeat
To decision That was an awful decision by the referee.
decide
To attack He mounted a surprise attack with the Romans.
attack (Note: With some verbs, the verbal noun is identical to
the base form of the verb.)
Real-Life Examples of Verbal Nouns
Being normal nouns, verbal nouns can be modified by adjectives, be pluralized (if
the sense allows), and be followed by prepositional phrases (e.g., …of men, …by
me).
No man saw the building of the New Jerusalem; it descended out of
heaven from God (Historian John Robert Seeley)
We're seeing the arrival of conversational robots that can walk in our
world. (Robot designer David Hanson)
I need to die for the killing of those people. (American serial killer
Aileen Wuornos)
Malicious attacks on the Soviet Union produce a natural feeling of
indignation. (Soviet politician Yuri Andropov)
The Difference between Verbal Nouns and Gerunds
Verbal nouns are not the same as gerunds (another type of noun formed from a
verb)
A gerund is a noun that, having derived from a verb, retains a few verb-like
properties. For example, a gerund can be modified by an adverb and can take a
direct object.
Compare these two examples. The first contains a verbal noun; the second, a
gerund.
This bad drawing of a dog is not acceptable for your project.
(This is a verbal noun. It is acting just like a noun. Just as any noun could
have, it has a determiner (This) and an adjective (bad), and it is followed by
a prepositional phrase (of a dog).)
Badly drawing a dog is not acceptable for your project.
(This is a gerund. It is functioning as a noun, but it has two notable verb-
like properties. Just as any verb could have, it has an adverb (badly) and
a direct object (a dog).)
More about Verbal Nouns
For many grammarians, the term verbal noun has a much broader definition, which
covers all verb-derived words that can function as nouns, such as gerunds
and infinitives (both of which retain verb-like qualities).
Gerunds. All gerunds end -ing (e.g., building, arriving, killing).
Killing women and children indiscriminately revolts my soul.
(Paraphrase of a quotation by US President Herbert Hoover about the
atomic bomb)
(Despite being a noun, the gerund killing is showing some verb-like
properties. It has taken a direct object (women and children) and is
modified by an adverb (indiscriminately).)
Infinitive. The infinitive form of a verb (the form with to in front) can function as
a noun.
To kill women and children indiscriminately revolts my soul.
(To kill is the infinitive form of the verb. In this example, it is functioning
as a noun, just like the gerund above.)
Grammarians who ascribe to the broader definition of verbal noun often describe
verbal nouns with no verb-like properties as "pure verbal nouns." Here's the same
example written with a "pure verbal noun."
The indiscriminate killing of women and children revolts my soul.
(Notice that killing has the following modifiers: The (a
determiner), indiscriminate (an adjective), and of women and children (a
prepositional phrase). These are all good indicators that you're dealing with
a pure verbal noun.)
Why Should I Care about Verbal Nouns?
Verbal nouns (or pure verbal nouns as they're sometimes called) are common in
business writing because they carry an air of formality. As a result, it is not
uncommon to read a sentence like this in business email:
The implementation of the new system will commence on Monday.
(This formal sentence features the pure verbal noun implementation.)
So, if you're looking for a formal tone, you could consider verbal nouns for your
sentences. However, verbal nouns can also portray you as straight-laced and
starchy.
Here are two good reasons to avoid verbal nouns:
Reason1: Pure verbal nouns eat up your wordcount.
As verbal nouns are often preceded by a or the and followed by a prepositional
phrase (e.g., …of men, …about women), they are pretty inefficient from a
wordcount perspective.
They were having a discussion about the implementation of the new
rules.
(With two pure verbal nouns, this sentence has 12 words.)
They were discussing implementing the new rules.
(A simple rewording to avoid the verbal nouns cuts the wordcount to 7 with
no loss of meaning. The efficiency is achieved by losing the articles
(a and the) and by using words that can take direct objects, which kills the
need for prepositions (about and of).)
Reason2:A string of pure verbal nouns does not flow naturally.
Businessmen's penchant for verbal nouns sometimes causes them to string their
nouns together, creating jerky non-flowing sentences.
Your explanation of the expectations of the community was clear.
(Jerky)
You explained the community's expectations clearly.
(When you've got a string of nouns, replacing one with a verb
(here, explained) is a good way to create a smoother sentence.)
Here's a good reason to use verbal nouns:
Reason1: A pure verbal noun can add a little emphasis.
Even though verbal nouns can sound stuffy, that air of formality can provide
emphasis.
The careful selection of adjectives is essential.
Selecting adjectives carefully is essential.
(With its pure verbal noun, the top version sounds more authoritative and
convincing.)
Key Points
Replacing pure verbal nouns with verbs and gerunds will reduce
wordcount and improve sentence flow.
Sentences featuring pure verbal nouns could portray you as stuffy (bad)
or authoritative (good). Employ them skillfully to tune to your needs.
PARTICIPLE
They’re verbs, they’re adjectives, they’re perfect and progressive! Is there anything
they can’t do?
If you’re wondering what a participle does, you’re not alone. These mighty verbs
take many forms and can be tricky to master. Let’s explore the different types.
What is a participle?
To start, participles are words derived from verbs that can function as adjectives or
as parts of verb phrases to create verb tenses.
Put simply, that means a participle will look like a verb (running) but may have a
different role in the sentence: the running water. That participle is describing the
water and performing the function of an adjective.
The two main types of participles are the present participle and the past participle.
Three types of participles:
1. Past participle
For regular verbs, adding -ed to the base form creates the past participle. For
example, the past participle of cook is cooked.
Past participles formed from irregular verbs may have endings like -en, -t, -d, and -
n. Examples include swollen, burnt, hoped, and broken. Some past participles
remain the same as the base forms of irregular verbs, like set and cut.
Past participles can also function as adjectives that modify nouns. For example:
In the sentence, “She placed the cut flowers in the vase,” the past
participle cut modifies the noun flowers.
Past participles can also combine with the verb to be to create the passive forms of
verbs. For example:
In the sentence, “He was taken to the store by his daughter,” the verb
form was taken includes the past participle taken and was, which is the past
tense of the verb to be.
2. Present participle
Adding -ing to the base form of a verb creates the present participle. For
example, eat is the base form of the verb to eat. The present participle
of eat is eating. Present participles always end in -ing.
Other examples of present participles include swimming, laughing, and playing.
The present participle can function as an adjective and modify nouns in
sentences. For example:
In the sentence, “The winning athlete gets a trophy,” the present
participle winning describes the noun athlete.
Present participles appear in progressive (or continuous) verb tenses, which show
when a verb or action was/is in the process of happening. For example:
A sentence in the present progressive tense is: “She is sitting now.”
A sentence in past progressive tense is: “She was sitting there 10 minutes
ago.”
A sentence in future progressive tense is: “She will be sitting at her desk in
an hour.”
All three of these sentences indicate when she was/is/will be in the process
of sitting.
3. Perfect participle
And there’s more!
Combining the word having with the past participle of a word creates the perfect
participle. Perfect participles demonstrate that an action was completed in the
past. Examples of perfect participles include having watched, having
arrived, and having slept.
This isn’t so much a third participle as it is a structure that combines a present
participle (having) and a past participle. For example:
In the sentence, “Having finished the report, she put away all her books and
took a much-needed nap,” the words having finished is the perfect participle.
By combining having and relied you can construct the following sentence:
“The young man, having relied on his grandfather’s advice all his life, felt
utterly lost after his death.”
What is a participial phrase?
Participial phrases are participles combined with other words that act as adjectives
within sentences. Usually, participial phrases modify the subjects of sentences, but
sometimes they modify other nouns. For example:
In the sentence, “Wearing his new suit, Bill went to work,” the participial
phrase wearing his new suit acts like an adjective to describe the subject of
the sentence, Bill.
Within a sentence, participial phrases should be close to the nouns that they modify
to avoid confusion. For example:
In the sentence, “Leaving the store, he hailed a taxi,” it’s clear that the
phrase leaving the store modifies the subject he.
Participial phrases that don’t clearly have a noun to modify are known as dangling
modifiers. For instance:
In the sentence, “Leaving the store, the traffic was heavy,” it seems as if the
traffic is leaving the store, but this is impossible.
Can we go over this one more time?
Participles are words formed from verbs:
Present participles always end in -ing and function as adjectives. They help
form progressive verb tenses.
Past participles end in -ed, or other past tense irregular verb endings, and
function as adjectives. They also combine with the verb to be to create
passive verb forms.
Perfect participles combine having with a past participle.
Participial phrases modify the subjects of sentences.
EXERCISE 1
Fill in the correct participle form. (Present Participle, Past Participle or
Perfect Participle)
1.He was sitting in an armchair a magazine. (to read)
2. in the company for many years, he knew everyone and everything.
(to work)
3.The cup with milk stood on the table. (to fill)
4. each other for ages, they had a lot to talk about. (to see)
5. into a rich family, she got everything she wished for. (to born)
6. the child of poor people, he often went to bed hungry. (to be)
7. his words, he apologized. (to regret)
8. Well , we are very proud of you. (to do)
9. the car, he went to a restaurant. (to park)
10. the film a dozen times, she knew the dialogues by heart. (to watch)
EXERCISE 2
Find the sentences in which: a) “-ing” form is a gerund, b) a verbal noun.
1. You should think before speaking.
2. After finding the new word in the dictionary, I wrote it down and went on
reading.
3. He spent much time on the copying of his literature lectures.
4. What do you mean by saying that?
5. The students found the reading of English newspapers rather difficult at first.
6. Instead of going home after school, the girls went for a walk.
7. Chalk is used for writing on the blackboard.
8. We sat by the river-side listening to the running of the water.
9. The cleaning of the room was done by the girls.
10. Working in the garden is very good for the health of people.
11. I stopped knocking at the door and began waiting for my father to come.
12. She praised herself for having come.
13. The child stopped crying and quieted down to hard thinking.
14. The old clock kept ticking on the mantelpiece, as if counting the seconds left
before the coming of daylight.
ANSWERS:
EXERCISE 1:
1. Reading 2. Having worked
3. Filled 4. Not having seen
5. Born 6. Being
7. Regretting 8. Done
9. Having parked 10. Having watched
EXERCISE 2:
1. speaking – gerund 8. running– verbal noun
2. finding, reading – gerunds 9. the cleaning – verbal noun
3. the copying – verbal noun 10. Working - gerund
4. saying - gerund 11. knocking, waiting - gerunds
5. the reading – verbal noun 12. having come - gerund
6. going - gerund 13. crying – gerund, thinking -
Verbal noun
7. writing – gerund 14. ticking –gerund, the coming –
Verbal noun
References:
1.“An A-Z Of English Grammar & Usage” by Leech, Conrad,
Cruickshank, And Ivanic
2.“How to Write Clearly” by Edwin A. Abbott
3.“Word Study and English Grammar” by Frederick W. Hamilton
4.“Advanced English Grammar With Answers” by Martin Hewings
5.“Practical English Usage” by Michael Swan
6.“Natural Grammar: The key words of English and how they work”
by Scott Thornbury
7.“English Grammar in Use” by Raymond Murphy
