STRUCTURE 69

Sxrr-r 3: PRESENT PARTICIPLES

Present participles can cause confusion in the Structure section of the TOEFL test
because a present participle can be either an adjective or a part of the verb. A
]rresent parliciple is the -ingform of the verb. It is part of the verb u,hen it is pre-
cc'ded by some form ol'the verb be.
The train is arritirtp at the station nou,.
VERB

In this sentence, arriving is part t>f the verb because it is accompanied bv is.
A present participle is an adjective when it is not accompanied bv some form
of the verb be.
'fhe train errivitu! at the station nou' is an hour late.
ADJE,CTIVE

In this sentence, nrrivirtg is an adjective and not part of the verb because it is not
accompanied bv some fbrm of be. The verb in this ser.rtence is is.
The follou'ing exar-nple shou's hor.v a present parliciple can be confused rvith
the verb in the Stmcture section of the TOEFL test.

Example
The film appearing at the local theater is mv favorite.
(A) I]O\V
(B) is
(c) it
(D) \\ras

hr this example, if vou look at onl-r.' the first 'nvords of tl"re sentence, it appears that
hlrrt is the subject and appearing is part of the verb. If you think that appearing is
par-t of the r,erb, vou might choose answer (B), is, or answer (D), uras, to complete
the verb. Hou'ever', these t\vo answers are incorrect because appearirry is not part
of tlre r,erb. You should recognize that appearittg is a participial adjective rather
than a verb because there is another verb in the sentence, ls. In this sentence,
there is a complete subject, filnt, and a complete verb, ls, so this sentence does
not need another subject or verb. The best answer to this question is ansu,er (A).
The follorving chart outlines the key information you should remember about
plesent participles.

PRESENT PARTICIPLES

A present participle is the -ing form of the verb. The present participle can be (1) part of
the verb or (2) an adjective. lt is part of the verb when it is accompanied by some form
of the verb be. lt is an adjective when it is not accompanied by some form of the verb be.
70 STBUCTURE AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION

EXERCISE 3: Each of the follor'ving sentences

contains one or more present par-
ticiples' Unclerline the sub.iects once and the
tr.vice. circle the present par-
verbs.'erbs
ticiplc-s' and label them as acljecfir,e.s or
Then indicate if the sentences are
correct (C) or incorrect (I).

C J. The (!r-ving; babl,

ADJ.
!!gd. to be picked up.
I 2' The .-!glE! g@9on the floor qhggF ge into the r,r,ashing machine.
-- \,ERB

3. The *'aitress bringing tlre steaming soup to the

*,aiting diners.

4' Mosr .f the striking u,or-kers ar.e warking the picket

rine.

5. For her birthdari the child is getting a talking doll.

6. The setting sun cr-ealing a rainbow of corors in the skr,:

7. The ship is sailing to Merico is leaving tonight.

B' The letters needi.rg irnmediate answer-s are on the desk.

9. The boring class.just encling a ferv minutes ago.

10. The fast-mo\/ing croucls are br-inging freezing

rain to the area.

Srul 4: PAST pARTfCtpLES

Past participles can cause conf-usion in the
structure section of the TOEFL test
because a past participle can be either an
adjectJ" o. u part of the verb. The past
participle is the fornr of the ve'rb that appears n
ith have or be. rtoften ends in -ed,
but there are also manv irregurar past participles
in Engrish.
The mailman/uts leli aletter in the mailbox.
\IERB

Thc. cla.sses n,ere taugltt bl, pr-ofessor Smith.

\/ERB

In the fil'st sentence, the past partic iple /efi is part

of the verb because it is accom-
panied bv lns.In the second sentence, the pasi
purrrcipl" taught ;, pu.t of the verb
because it is accompanied by y,ere.
 STRUCTURE 71

A past participle is an adjective rvhen it is not accompanied bv some fortn of be

or have.
The letter lef't in tl-re mailbo\ \\ras for me.
ADJE,CTI\ t]

The classes taueht by Professor Smith \\rere vera'interesting.

ADJECTIVE

In the first sentence,lefi is an adjective rather than a verb because it is not accom-
panied bl'a form of be or hatte (and there is a verb, uras. later in the sentence). In
the second sentence, taught is an adjective rather than a r,'erb because it is not
accompanied bv a form of be or have (and there is a verb, were, later in the sen-
tence).
The follou,ing erample shows hor.r,a past pzrrticiple can be confused with the
verb in the Structure section of the TOEFL test.

Example
The bread baked this morninc sn-tellecl delicious.
(A) has
(B) rvas
(C) it
(D) iust

In this example, if vou look or-rlv at the first feu' u,ords of the sentence, it appears
'that bread is the subject ancl baked is either a completc- verb or a past participle
that needs a helping verb. But if you look further in the sentence, vou will see the
verb smelled. You r"r'ill then recognize that bakecl is a participial adjective and is
therefore not part of the verb. Ansrvers (A) and (B) are incorrect because baked is
an adjective and does not need a helping verb such as ltas 01- r,ull.s. Answer (C) is
incorrect because there is no need for the subiect ir. Ansr.ver (D) is the best answer
to this question.
The follorving chart outlines the kev information that vou should remember
about past parliciples.

PAST PARTICIPLES

A past participle often ends in -ed, but there are also many irregular past participles. For
many verbs, including -ed verbs, the simple past and the post participle are the same and
can be easily confused. The -ed form of the verb can be (1) the simple post, (2) the pasf
participle of a verb or (3) an adjective.
72 STRUCTURE AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION

EXERCISE 4: Each of the follor,i,ing sentences contains one or more past partici-
ples. Underline the subjects once and the verbs tn'ice. Circle the past parliciples,
and label them ats adjectives or verbs. Then indicate if the sentences are correct
(C) or incorrect (I).

I l. The &L4,r@Oin this resralrranr is delicious,

VERB

--e 2. The plane landecl on the @ r'un\\'av.

ADJ.

3. The unexpected gLlests arrived just at dinnertime.

4. The cotlrses are listed in the catalogtre are required conrses.

5. The teacher found the lost exant.

6. Thc'sr-nall apartnrent vell ct'o\\'ciecl ancl disorganized.

7. The photographs dereloped vestercla.r shou'ed Sam and his li'iends.

8. The locked dran'er contained the unrvorn ienels.

9. The tree \\rAS blou,n or,er in the stolm uras cut into logs.

10. The stuclents registered in this cour-se ar-e listed on that sheet o['paper.

-
EXERCISE (Skills 3-4)z Each of the {ollou'ing sentences contains one or more
parliciples. Underline the subjects once and the verbs tu'ice. Circle the participles,
and label them as adjectives or verbs. Then indicate if the sentenccs are correct
(C) or incorrect (I).

1 . Or-rr hosts are serr,ir.tg drinks on thc. tilc'cl patio.

2. The tired u'onran taking ar murch ne.eclc-d nap.

3. The letters were sent on Mondar,zrr-rir.ed on Wednesdar,.

4. The u,inners desen'ed the big prize.

5. The plants are gror,ving in the garde-n need a lot oirvater.

6. The shinin_q stars lit trp the darkened skr'.

7. Tlre dljr,e-r lapidlv increased the spce-d of the r-acin_9 car'.

B. The ercited chilch'cn trl'in.e- to btrilcl a sno\\'man in the tatling sno\\,.

 STRUCTURE 73

9. The students are completing the course rvill graduate in June.

10. The dissatisfied clrslomer is returning the broken toaster to the store.
-
TOEFL EXERCISE (Skills 3-4): Choose the letter of the rvord or group of words
that best completes the sentence.

'[he first appearecl during the Robert E. Lee tlre- Confederate

last period of the dinosanrs' reign. errmv to General Grant in 1865 at the
(A) Ilor.r,ers etre plants Appon-rattox Courthouse.
(B) plants hzu'e florvers (A) surrendered
(C) plants llou'ers (B) he surrendered
(D) flou,ering plants (C) surrendering
(D) surrender
) Thc earliest nrcdicines from
plants of variolrs sorts. Tlre pituitan,gland, the brair-r,
(A) obtaining
- r-eleases hormones to control other
(B) glands.
tliev obtained
(C) u'ere obtained (A) found belorv
(D) thev rvere obtained (B) it is found belor,r'
(C) its foundation belou,
Simple sails r.r,ere made from canl,as (D) finds itself below
over a frame.
c At alound t\\'o vears of age, manv
(A) a stretch
(B) stretched children regularlv produce sentences
(C) u,as stretched three ol four u,ords.
(D) it u,as stretched (A) are containing
(B) containing
Plutois moon, Charon, in a (C) contain
slightly ellipticzrl path around the (D) contains
planet. -
(A) moving 9. Mr-rltinational companies it
(B) is mor ing increasinglv impofiant to employ
(C) it r,r'as nroving internationallv acceptable-brand
(D) in its movement names.
(A) finding
f. Techniqtres of'breath control fornr arr (B) are finding
essential part of any pro-qram to (C) thev find
improve the voice. (D) thel.are finding
(A) it trains -
(B) train 10. The cornea is l<lcated under the
(C) trains conjunctiva, ol-l of the eye.
(D) trnining (A) the part is exposed
(B) exposed ttrc--part
(C) the exposed perrt
(D) e.rposes the part
74 STRUCTURE AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION

TOEFL REVIEW EXERCISE (Skills l-4\z Choose the letter of the rvord or
group of r,r'ords that best completes the sentence.

1. first settled the Hau,aiian 6. The Earth's plates meet each other at
Islands belu'een a.n. 300 and 7-50. cracks in the Earth faults.
(A) The Polvnesjans (A) lr'ere called
(B) The Polvnesiarns an'ived (B) calls
(C) Because ol thc Polvnesiarns (C) called
(D) It uas lhe Polvnt'sians (D) it rvas czrlled

2. In 1066, a bright comet in the The fir'st plant-like organisms

skv attr"acrec'l mucl-r attention. probablv in the sea, perhaps
3 billion.vears ago.
(A) rvas :rppearing
(B) appear.s (A) life
(C) it appezrred (B) lir,ing
(D) appearir-rg (C) lived
(D) it u'as lir,'ing
1
J. In some claguerreotvpe cameras,
through a hole in the back oi 8. ln male pattern baldness,
the box. strongly influences the degree of hair
lo.ss.
(A) the object's vier,r,'
(B) the object 1v;15 f is11,gd (A) hereditr,'
(C) trom the vir-\\, of the object (B) inheritcd
(D) vieu,ed the obiect (C) inherits
(D) herc'ditv has
4. ln the Stone Age, stone tools
rvith other rock materials. 9. In Wotclt the Skies, Curtis Peebies
attempt to erplain America's
(A) polishing
belief in flving saucers.
(B) tliel'' polished
(C) for polish (A) makes a tascinating
(D) u,ere polished (B) making a tascinating
(C) fascination rvith making
5. The first steamship to cross the (D) fascination made a
Atlantic Savanrtalt, in 1819.
10. The irregular coastline of a
(A) u'as thc
succession of bavs and inlets, rvith the
(B) it'uvas the -
hook of the Cape Cod peninsula in
(C) the
the southeast.
(D) in it the
(A) Massachusetts
(B) Massachttsetts is
(C) Massachusetts it is
(D) Mass:rchusetts on