The Great Pretenders

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The Great Pretenders

• otherwise known as . . .
• Verbals

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Verbals, The Definition

• Verbals are words that would normally be verbs,
  but because of their form and function in the
  sentence, they are not doing the verbs
  job.
• They look like verbs, but they are not
  used as verbs in a sentence.

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Gerunds

• A verb ending with -ing
• Looks like a verb but functions as a noun in the
  sentence
• Can be used as subjects, direct objects, objects
  of the preposition, and predicate nominatives

Cicelys dream is acting.
Cicely dreams of acting.
Cicely practices acting.
Acting is Cicelys dream.
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Gerund Phrases

• Starts with a gerund and has an object and
  modifiers
• Choosing good actors was the directors job.
• Ask yourself, Choosing what? to find the object
• Check if the -ing word is a gerund by replacing
  it or its phrase with the word it

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Participles

• A verb ending with -ing if it is PRESENT TENSE
  or -ed (or past tense form) if it is PAST TENSE
• Looks like a verb but functions as an
  adjective in the sentence (modifying a noun or
  pronoun)

Smiling, the batter stepped up to the plate.
Fooled, he swung at the curve ball.
The tourists, brought by a bus, explored the
ruins.
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Participle Phrases

• Starts with the participle or an adverb
  describing the participle and has an object and
  modifiers
• They are usually near the noun or pronoun
  they modify

Rounding third base, the runner charged toward
home plate.
Especially pleased, the crowd cheered loudly.
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Infinitives

• A verb with to in front of it
• Do not confuse infinitives with prepositional
  phrases which are to plus a phrase ending with
  a noun
• Infinitives can be used as nouns, adjectives, or
  adverbs

Astronauts learn to adapt to zero gravity.
Pictures of the moonwalk were incredible to see.
To move in zero gravity is not easy.
The landing on the moon was an event to watch.
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Infinitive Phrases

• Starts with the infinitive and has an object and
  modifiers
• Astronauts were trying to master space.