Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences

Department of English STUDIES

FEZ
S3 “Advanced Grammar”
Slaoui.S , Fassi Fihri A. &Belghiti K

Practice
I. In each of the following sentences, identify and underline the participial phrase that
modifies the boldfaced noun or pronoun. On the blank, write what kind of participial it is:
PRESENT for present participle or PAST for past participle.
 Writing quickly, the students took the exam
………….................................................................................................................

 The travelers saw a huge stone castle perched on the rocky cliff.
…………................................................................................................................

 The boy performing a solo on the trumpet is my brother.

…………................................................................................................................

 Swimming with his friend, Frances made it to the float.

………….................................................................................................................

Ed’s sailboat, damaged near the stern, was unusable.

…………................................................................................................................
II. Use participial phrases to combine each set of sentences into one sentence.
1. The soccer players were exhausted from the game. They collapsed on the grass.
2. The Grand Canyon is located in Arizona. The Grand Canyon is a spectacular sight.
3. The library needed money for new books. The library sponsored a craft fair.
4. The hurricane swept up the coast. It destroyed everything in its path.

III. Underline all present participial phrases. Place “N” above all nonrestrictive
participial phrases and an “R” above all restrictive participial phrases. Correct any
errors in punctuation.
1- Boiling rapidly in the kettle on the back burner the hot water gave off clouds of steam.
2- Phil, wondering at his wife’s sudden good fortune started reading his own horoscope.
3- He was previously convinced that anyone, believing in this “astrology stuff,” should have
his or her head examined.
4- Linda, puzzling over Phil’s sudden interest in the newspaper, crept up behind him and
peered over his shoulder.
5- Smiling because he flung the newspaper shut she went to the stove, spooned tea leaves
from the boiling water into a cup, and wondered how her future would arrange itself
before her.
IV. In the following sentences, underline all past participial phrases, place “N” above all
nonrestrictive participial phrases and “R” above all restrictive participial phrases.
Correct any errors in punctuation.

1. The grass planted two weeks ago is starting to turn brown

2. Jersey Helgeson shocked by the sudden success of his one-act play vowed to give the
proceeds from the first-week’s run to charity.
3. Overwhelmed by demands for tickets, the theater added two more shows.
4. The janitor Hugo startled by the superintendent dropped the fluorescent bulb from his
perch on top of the stepladder.
5. Disqualified, for biting his opponent’s ear Mike Tyson later apologized at a press
conference

V.Rewrite the sentences replacing the italic part with a present participle.
1. She was talking to her friend and forgot everything around her.
2. Since we watch the news every day we know what's going on in the world.
3. They are vegetarians and don't eat meat.
4. The dog wagged its tail and bit the postman.
5. While she was tidying up her room she found some old photos.
6. He was a good boy and helped his mother in the kitchen.
7. As they didn't have enough money they spent their holidays at home last year.
8. The man was sitting in the cafe. He was reading a paper
9. Since I didn't feel well I didn't go to the cinema.
10. She walked home and met an old friend.

VI.Combine the sentences in each set below into a single clear sentence with at least
one participial phrase.
Here's an example:
- I stood on the roof of my apartment building at dawn.
- I watched the sunrise through gray clouds.
→ Standing on the roof of my apartment building at dawn, I watched the sunrise
through gray clouds.
1. The dishwasher was invented in 1889.
- The dishwasher was invented by an Indiana housewife.
- The first dishwasher was driven by a steam engine.

2. I took small sips from a can of Coke

- I was sitting on the ground in a shady corner.
- I was sitting with my back against the wall.

3. I was sitting on the window ledge.

- The ledge overlooked the narrow street.
- I watched the children.
- The children were frolicking in the first snow of the season.
4. The first edition of Infant Care was published by the U.S. Government.
- The first edition of Infant Care was published in 1914.
- The first edition of Infant Care recommended the use of peat moss for
disposable diapers.

5. The house sat stately upon a hill.

- The house was gray.
- The house was weather-worn.
- The house was surrounded by barren tobacco fields.

6. I washed the windows in a fever of fear.

- I whipped the squeegee swiftly up and down the glass.
- I feared that some member of the gang might see me.

7. Goldsmith smiled.
- He bunched his cheeks like twin rolls of toilet paper.
- His cheeks were fat.
- The toilet paper was smooth.
- The toilet paper was pink.

8. The roaches scurried in and out of the breadbox.

- The roaches sang chanteys.
- The roaches sang as they worked.
- The roaches paused only to thumb their noses.
- They thumbed their noses jeeringly.
- They thumbed their noses in my direction.

9. The medieval peasant was distracted by war.

- The medieval peasant was weakened by malnutrition.
- The medieval peasant was exhausted by his struggle to earn a living.
- The medieval peasant was an easy prey for the dreadful Black Death.

10. He eats slowly.

- He eats steadily.
- He sucks the sardine oil from his fingers.
- The sardine oil is rich. He sucks the oil with slow and complete relish.