Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

THE PARTICIPLE

109

CIX. THE PARTICIPLE

A participle is a word derived from a verb, partaking of the properties of a verb and of an adjective or a noun.

The participle is so called from its partaking of the properties of a verb and of an adjective or a noun. It is the attributive part of the verb, used without assertion. It simply denotes continuance or completion of action, being, or state, relatively to the time denoted by the principal verb of the sentence in which it is found.

There are three participles: the present, the perfect, and the compound.

The present participle denotes the continuance of action, being, or state; as, loving, being loved.

The present participle always ends in ing. It may be used as an assumed attributive, or be affirmed of a subject. In the sentence, "Leaning my head upon my hand, I began to picture to myself the miseries of confinement," "leaning" depends upon or modifies "I." It is an assumed attribute. In the sentence, "I was leaning my head upon my hand," "leaning" is affirmed of the subject "I." The present participle may be used also:—

(1) As an adjective; as, "Twinkling stars." When thus used it is called a participial adjective; and it may admit of comparison; as, "A most loving companion."

66

(2), As a noun; as, “I am fond of reading." "Reading," in this sentence, is a participial noun, and is the object of the preposition "of." As a noun, it may have the modifications of a verb; as, Describing a past event as present, has a fine effect in language." In this sentence, the participial noun "describing" is modified by "event," which is an objective element. Participial nouns may also be modified by adverbs; as, "I am fond of traveling rapidly." Here, "traveling," though it is a participial noun, is modified by "rapidly," which is an adverbial element.

The perfect participle denotes the completion of action, being, or state; as, seen, appointed.

This participle generally ends in d, ed, t, n, or en. It is frequently used as an adjective, but never as a noun, and is usually, but not always, found in compound forms of the verb.

Ex..." He died, loved by all." "Her promise, made cheerfully, was kept faithfully." "I have written a letter." "You should have known better." "That house was built in 1780."

The compound participle denotes the completion of action, being, or state, at or before the time represented by the principal verb; as, “Having written the letter, he mailed it."

This participle is formed by placing having or having been before the perfect participle or before the present participle; as, "Having bought the horse, he went home." "The lessons having been recited, the school was dismissed." It may be used as a noun; as, "I am accused of having plotted treason." "He is charged with having been engaged in the slave trade."

CX. EXERCISES

Give the present perfect, and compound participles of the following verbs:

Rely, find, help, study, recite, inquire, answer, plow, cultivate, join, emulate, spell, grow, paint, resemble, hope, suffer, sit, see, go, come, lay, arrive, exhaust, enjoy, write, read, learn, ventilate.

Write five sentences, each containing a present participle.
Ex. -"Mary is studying her lesson.”

Write five sentences, each containing a perfect participle.

Ex..

"I have learned my lesson." "The army, flushed with victory, marched onward."

Write five sentences, each containing a present and a perfect participle.

ORDER OF PARSING PARTICIPLES

III

Ex. —“A boy playing on the seashore, found an oar lost from a boat."

Write five sentences, each containing a compound participle.

Ex. "The notes having been paid, the mortgage was canceled."

Write five sentences, each containing a participial adjective.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

Write five sentences, each containing a participial noun.

"Skating is good exercise"; "Much depends upon his ob

Ex. serving the rule."

RULE XII.

pronoun.

A participle belongs to some noun

CXI. ORDER OF PARSING PARTICIPLES

1. A participle, and why?

2. From what verb is it derived?

3. Present, perfect, or compound, and why? 4. To what does it belong?

5. Rule.

or

MODELS FOR PARSING

I heard the wolves howling in the forest.

"Howling" is a participle: it partakes of the properties of a verb and of an adjective: it is derived from the verb “howl": present; it denotes continuance: it belongs to "wolves." (Rule XII.)

Take this letter, written by myself.

"Written" is a participle: it is derived from the verb "write": perfect; it denotes completion: it belongs to "letter." (Rule XII.)

The train having left, we returned home.

"Having left" is a participle: it is derived from the verb "leave": compound; it denotes the completion of an act before the

time represented by the principal verb: it belongs to "train." (Rule XII.)

Their leader having been killed, the robbers fled.

"Having been killed" is a participle: it is derived from the verb "kill": compound participle: it belongs to "leader." (Rule XII.)

[ocr errors]

Whispering is forbidden.

"Whispering" is a noun; participial; it is derived from the verb 'whisper": neuter gender, third person, singular number, nominative case. (Rule I.)

[blocks in formation]

Parse the nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and participles in the following

sentences: —

I. I have heard the bells tolling. 2. He saw the letter opened. 3. Gambling is a crime. 4. Boys like running, jumping, and skating. 5. The vessel anchored in the bay has lost her sails. 6. Having sold my farm, I shall remove to Iowa. 7. The burning of the capitol was a wanton outrage. 8. Have you not seen strong men weeping? 9. The general having been captured, the army was defeated. remaining here would ruin us all.

Io. Your

II. Said but once, said but softly, not marked at all, words revive before me in darkness and solitude. — DE QUINCEY. 12. A man hardened in depravity would have been perfectly contented with an acquittal so complete, announced in language so gracious. — MACAULAY.

13. I heard the ripple washing in the reeds, And the wild water lapping on the crags.

14. Toiling, rejoicing, sorrowing,

Onward through life he goes,

Something attempted, something done,

[ocr errors]

TENNYSON.

Has earned a night's repose. — LONGFELLOW.

15. So that now to still the beating of my heart,

I stood repeating,

'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door.

[ocr errors][merged small]

PRINCIPAL AND AUXILIARY VERBS

113

CXIII. THE INFINITIVE

The infinitive expresses the action, being, or state, without affirming it; as, to write; to have written; "He rose to speak."

The infinitive may usually be known by the sign to. This sign is omitted after the verbs bid, dare, feel, hear, help, let, make, need, see, and a few others; as, "Bid them be quiet"; "Let them come on"; "See him run."

The infinitive, as an abstract noun, may be the subject or the predicate of a sentence; may be in apposition with a noun; and may be the object of a transitive verb or preposition; as, "To lie is disgraceful"; "To work is to pray"; "Delightful task, to rear the tender thought"; "I love to read"; "Can save the son of Thetis from to die."

Although the infinitive has the construction of a noun, it may govern an object, or be modified by an adverb. It is never limited by an adjective attribute, but may have a predicate adjective belonging to it; as, "To converse is pleasant"; "To suffer all this wrong is hard."

CXIV. PRINCIPAL AND AUXILIARY VERBS

A verb may consist of one word, or of several words united in a verb group; as runs, is running.

The chief word in a verb group that which names the action or state — is called the principal verb. It is sometimes a participle and sometimes an infinitive with to omitted and is usually placed last in the group; as, may go, may have gone; shall be going.

The other verbs which are employed to aid the principal verb by asserting, or expressing some condition of the act or state, are called auxiliaries or auxiliary verbs; as, may have gone, shall go.

[blocks in formation]
« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »