Lecture Notes: The Participle in English

Introduction

• The participle is the last form of non-finite verbs to be discussed in the lesson series.
• It is essential to understand its characteristics and uses in English.

Main Characteristics

• The participle is one of the three non-finite forms of the verb in English.
• Combines verbal and adjectival or adverbial characteristics.
• Two types of participles:
  • Participle One (Present Participle)
  • Participle Two (Past Participle)
• Functions to help form tenses, e.g., present progressive and present perfect progressive.

Types of Participles

1. Present Participle (Participle One)

• Formed by adding the suffix -ing:
  • Stroll — Strolling
  • Hide — Hiding
• Combines verb and adjective/adverb functions.
• Can take a direct object and be modified by an adverb.

Forms of Participle One

• Indefinite or Simple Active and Passive: Indicates an action simultaneous to the main verb.
• Perfect Active and Passive: Indicates an action prior to the action expressed by the main verb.

Functions of Participle One

1. Attribute: Modifies a noun, sometimes with accompanying words.
   • Example: "The man playing the piano."
2. Adverbial Modifier: Expresses time, cause, manner, condition, comparison.
   • Example: "While working on the project."
3. Predicative: Used in compound nominal predicates.
   • Example: "The hurricane was devastating."
4. Part of Complex Object: Seen after verbs of perception and positive meaning.
5. Parenthesis: Used in phrases such as "generally speaking."

2. Past Participle (Participle Two)

• Formed by adding -ed for regular verbs or changing the root for irregular verbs (e.g., make — made).
• Does not have tense distinctions; can indicate actions simultaneous with or prior to the main verb.

Functions of Participle Two

1. Attribute: Modifies a noun and can be used before or after it.
   • Example: "The jewels stolen by the thieves."
2. Adverbial Modifier: Used with conjunctions like when, though, if.
3. Predicative: Used in compound nominal predicates indicating a state.
   • Example: "He felt betrayed."
4. Part of Complex Object: After verbs of perception, mental activity, emotions.

Distinctions Between Participle One and Two

• Participle One: Describes ongoing actions or processes.
• Participle Two: Describes completed actions or states.
• Adjectival participles indicate different nuances (e.g., "interesting" vs "interested").

Special Considerations

• Some verbs have two forms of participle two, used differently (e.g., sunk vs sunken).
• Distinction between passive participle one and participle two.
  • Participle one emphasizes ongoing processes, while participle two indicates a general, passive state.

Conclusion

• Understanding participles is critical for mastering English verb forms.
• They are versatile and can be used in a variety of syntactic roles.
• Practice and context are vital for distinguishing their functions and uses.