participial

Participial is an adjective relating to participles, the non-finite verb forms used to create adjectives and to form various verb phrases. In English, there are two main participle types: present participles, formed with the suffix -ing (for example, running, sparkling), and past participles, often formed with -ed but frequently irregular (for example, broken, eaten, written).

Present participles can function as verbs in progressive tenses (she is reading) or as adjectives (a running stream). They also introduce participial phrases, which consist of the participle plus its complements and modifiers and describe a noun related to the rest of the sentence. Example: Hearing the alarm, she woke up. The phrase describes the subject and can appear at the beginning or after the noun it modifies.

Past participles form perfect tenses and the passive voice (has eaten, was written). They can also act as adjectives (a broken window, a frightened child). Participial phrases with past participles provide descriptive detail: The book, written by a famous author, became a bestseller.

A key distinction is between participles and gerunds. The -ing form can be a present participle (a verb form used with auxiliary verbs) or a gerund (a noun). The function in the sentence determines which reading applies. Participle use must be careful to avoid dangling or misplaced participles, which occur when the participial phrase does not clearly modify the intended noun.

In summary, the term participial covers the functions of present and past participles as adjectives, as parts of verb phrases, and in participial phrases that modify nouns or entire clauses.