VERBALS

GERUNDS, PARTICIPLES, INFINITIVES

VERBALS

Verbals are words that derive from verbs and thus express an action or state of being, but importantly,
they do not function as verbs. Rather, verbals function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.

This handout will discuss the three types of verbals: gerunds, participles, and infinitives.

Note: Throughout the remainder of this handout, bold and italics are used together to identify verbals.
Underlining is used to identify verbal phrases: gerund phrases, participial phrases, and infinitive phrases.
Verbal phrases consist of a verbal along with modifier(s), complement(s), and/or object(s). Verbal phrases
function as an extended form of the verbal.

GERUNDS
Gerunds are verbals that end in –ing and function as nouns. As such, gerunds can be used as subjects, subject
complements, direct objects, indirect objects, or objects of prepositions.

Here are some examples:

1. Being sick is never fun.

← In sentence 1, the gerund phrase being sick is the
subject of the sentence.

2. My favourite pastime is hiking.

← In sentence 2, the gerund hiking is the subject
complement.
In sentence 3, the gerund phrase playing and
3. In general, Canadians enjoy playing and
watching hockey. ← watching hockey is the direct object of the verb
enjoy.

←
4. During exam periods, most students feel that
In sentence 4, the gerund studying is the indirect
it is important to give studying their full
object of the verb give.
attention.

In sentence 5, the gerund phrase spending the

5. The boy was excited about spending the
summer in the country. ← summer in the country is the object of the
preposition about.

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PARTICIPLES

Participles are verbals that function as adjectives; that is, they modify nouns or pronouns. Present participles always
end in –ing (and thus look just like gerunds). Past participles most frequently end in –ed, but they may also end in –en, -
t, -d, or –n.

Here are some examples:

1. Practically steaming with frustration, the commuters wait for their delayed train to arrive.

2. I called for help as soon as I found the hurt bird.

3. Being a hard-working student at the college, Sophie knows her way around the library.

4. The APA states that children exposed to media violence are more likely to be aggressive as adults.

5. The dog looked guiltily toward the chewed

and torn shoes lying on the floor. Remember: gerunds and participles look
alike, but they are different. In sentence 6,
6. skiing is a gerund.
Undeterred by the fact that skiing was proving
more challenging than he had imagined, The participle proving is not used as an
Christopher headed back out onto the slopes. adjective here, but rather is used to form
the past continuous verb was proving.
(See below)

Note: Though participles themselves never function as verbs (they are verbals, after all!), they can combine
with auxiliary verbs to form various verb tenses. In this box, underlining and italics are used together to identify
verbs. Here are a few examples:

The band is going to play soon. present continuous

I have been a big fan for a long time. present perfect

Did you know the group was hoping to sign a record deal before the end of the year? past continuous

They have been sending demos to record labels every few months. present perfect continuous

They had decided that if they didn’t hear from anyone soon, they would let their dream go. past perfect

It felt like they had been waiting forever when they finally got signed! past perfect continuous

They will be coming on stage in just a minute! future continuous

After this show, I will have seen them play six times. future perfect

By the time their album comes out, they will have been playing together for ten years! future perfect
continuous

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INFINITIVES

Infinitives are verbals that consist of the word to plus the simple (or “stem”) form of the verb. Infinitives
function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.
Here are some examples:

1. To be patient is of the utmost importance in

this job. ← In sentence 1, the infinitive phrase to be patient is
the subject of the sentence.

2. Since she was a little girl, Polly’s dream has

always been to write. ← In sentence 2, the infinitive to write is a subject
complement.

In sentence 3, the infinitive phrase to accept this

3. I refuse to accept this behavior from you!
← behavior from you is the direct object of the verb
refuse.

Here are some examples of how infinitives function as adjectives:

4. Don’t forget that you have an assignment to complete over the weekend.

5. He had the skills and spirit to win.

Here are some examples of how infinitives function as adverbs:

6. We’re practicing to improve our pronunciation.

7. She plays to win.

For more information on the differences between gerunds, participles, and infinitives, and for tips on how
to use verbals correctly in your writing, please refer to the following websites:

→ http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/627/1/

→ http://www.writingcentre.uottawa.ca/hypergrammar/verbals.html

→ http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/

You are also welcome to make an appointment with The Learning Centre staff:

→ http://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/tlc/booknow/

Copyright Marianopolis College. Used with permission.