Present Participle

By Matthew, 21 April 2008 - 4:18pm
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Grammar name (English): 
Present Participle

To make a modifier (adjective or adverb) from a verb, you should use a participle. English has two participles: the present participle and the past participle.

How to Make the Present Participle

Make the present participle using:

[VERB]+ing

Some examples:

coming going eating
driving washing sleeping
playing laughing drinking

Note: the present participle looks exactly like a gerund, but they do different jobs.

 

Uses of the Present Participle

Present participles are used to do the following:

  1. Make the continuous aspect (sometimes called the progressive - "to be doing");
  2. Modify a noun (like an adjective);
  3. Modify a verb or sentence (like an adverb).

 

Some examples:

1. The Continuous / Progressive Aspect:

I am sitting in my chair, listening to music.

While I was watching TV, the phone rang.

When will you be coming back?

2. Modifying Noun:

I can hear a crying baby.

What an interesting movie!

I really hate going to long boring meetings.

3. Modifying a Verb or Sentence:

He came running.

She spoke, chewing gum.

Speaking of holidays, I am going to Fiji.

 

Notes: 
  1. Both the gerund (e.g. "talking") and the present participle (e.g. "talking") look the same in English. For a learner it is probably best just to think about [VERB]+ing. However, a gerund is like a noun, but a present participle is a modifier.
  2. Often it is impossible for a learner to know if something is a gerund or a present participle just by looking at it. You must look at the job the word does in the sentence.
  3. Present participles are active; A past participle can be active or passive.