What is a Participle Phrase? Participle Phrase Examples and Definition

Participle Phrase

What is Participle Phrase? Need help understanding what is a participle phrase and what isn’t? Check out our page and find our linking verbs lists and learn how to weave a participle phrase into your own writing.
Sometimes a word or phrase appears to be a verb when, in fact, it’s something else. It’s important to look at the function that a word or phrase plays in a sentence before determining its part of speech.

What Is a Participial Phrase?

A participle is a verb form that functions as an adjective by modifying nouns and pronouns. A participle can be either a present participle or a past participle. A participial phrase includes the participle, plus any modifiers and complements.

Present Participle Examples:

What is a Participle Phrase?

(Shivering is the present participle. It modifies couple .)

Participle Phrase Examples #1) The sobbing child held his injured knee.

(Sobbing is the present participle. It modifies child .)

Participle Phrase Examples #2) The cascading waterfall poured down over the rocks.

(Cascading is the present participle. It modifies waterfall .)

Participle Phrase Examples #3) Sweeping across the night sky, the bats hunted their prey.

(Sweeping is the present participle, and sweeping across the night sky is the participial phrase. The participial phrase modifies bats .)

Participle Phrase Examples #4) Quickly checking over his answers, Patrick handed in his test just before time ran out.

(Checking is the present participle, and quickly checking over his answers is the participial phrase. The participial phrase modifies Patrick .)

Participle Phrase Examples #5) Searching the glove compartment, Evangeline looked for her sunglasses.

(Searching is the present participle, and searching the glove compartment is the participial phrase. The participial phrase modifies Evangeline .)

Past Participle Examples:

Participle Phrase Examples

(Fallen is the past participle. It modifies tree .)

Participle Phrase Examples #6) The broken window needed to get repaired quickly.

(Broken is the past participle. It modifies window .)

Participle Phrase Examples #7) To make the batter, stir the beaten eggs into the flour.

(Beaten is the past participle. It modifies eggs .)

Participle Phrase Examples #8) Excited about dinner, Hari ran the whole way home.

(Excited is the past participle, and excited about dinner is the participial phrase. The participial phrase modifies Hari .)

Participle Phrase Examples #9) Frightened by the loud fireworks, the dog hid under the couch.

(Frightened is the past participle, and frightened by the loud fireworks is the participial phrase. The participial phrase modifies dog .)

Participle Phrase Examples #10) Injured during the soccer match, Marco had to leave the field.

(Injured is the past participle, and injured during the soccer match is the participial phrase. The participial phrase modifies Marco .)