A participial phrase is a group of words that includes a participle (a verb form ending in “-ing” or “-ed”) along with its modifiers and complements. Participial phrases function as adjectives, providing additional information about a noun or pronoun in a sentence.
Here are a few examples of participial phrases:
- The dog, barking loudly, scared the mailman. In this example, “barking loudly” is a participial phrase that modifies the noun “dog.”
- The girl, surprised by the news, couldn’t speak for a moment. “Surprised by the news” is a participial phrase modifying the noun “girl.”
- The book, written by a famous author, became an instant bestseller. “Written by a famous author” is a participial phrase providing information about the noun “book.”
- The car, damaged in the accident, was towed away. In this case, “damaged in the accident” is a participial phrase modifying the noun “car.”
Conclusion
Participial phrases can add description, detail, or background information to sentences. They function like adjectives and are often set off by commas when they appear at the beginning or end of a sentence.
