VERBALS

1. Gerunds

1.1. Verb + ing

1.2. Hint: It will either be the subject, subject compliment, or the direct object.

1.3. Examples: 1)Running is fun. 2)Running around the gym is fun. 3)My favorite activity is running around the gym. 4) She loves running around the gym. In all 4 your gerund is "running." In the first one it is your subject; in the 2nd one the gerund phrase is your subject; and in the 3rd one, the gerund phrase is a subject compliment (also a noun), and in the 4th one, the gerund is the direct object (which is always a noun or pronoun).

2. Infinitives

2.1. To + simple form of verb

2.2. Can act as noun, adverb or adjective (reminds me of "infinite," but it actually can only be those 3).

2.3. Examples: 1) It is fun to run around the gym. 2) To run around the gym is fun. 3) A fun thing is to run around the gym. 4) A fun thing to do is to run around the gym.

3. Participles

3.1. Any form of a verb (often -ing, but not always)

3.2. Acts as an adjective (the "a" in participle can remind you that is serves as an adjective.) You should draw an arrow to the noun it modifies.

3.3. Hint: When it comes at the beginning of the sentence, it is followed by a comma.

3.4. Examples: 1)Running around the gym, the girl had fun. 2) The girl had fun running around the gym. In the first sentence, "Running around the gym" is modifying "girl." In the second sentence, it is modifying "fun."