The parsing of Participles

How to parse Participles. – To parse a Participle you have to show four different things concerning it:

1. In what form it is, - whether Present, as fading; or Past, as faded; or Perfect, as having faded.

2. What kind of verb it is, - whether Transitive or Intransitive.

3. In what the use of the Participle is, - Predicative, Adverbial modifier of various types, Attribute.

4. Of what voice it is, - whether Active, or Passive

Note 1. – If the Participle given is part of a tense, it should be parsed as part of the tense, and not as a separate word. Thus in I have come we should parse come not as a separate word, but as part of a Present Perfect.

Note 2. – The epithet and Predicative uses of participles are the same of those of adjectives. The Absolute use in connection with some noun or pronoun.

Example:

1. He appeared tired after his work.

Past participle. Transitive verb. Passive voice, used predicatively as complement to the verb “appeared”.

2. Believing himself to be right, he stuck to his opinion.

Present participle. Transitive verb. Active voice, used as an epithet to qualify the pronoun “he”.

3. The sun having risen, we can now set off.

Perfect participle. Intransitive verb. Active voice, used absolutely with the noun “sun”.

Note.- When no noun or pronoun is placed before a participle used absolutely, then a participle is practically a preposition. Such a participle is sometimes called an Impersonal Absolute. (1) He plays well, considering his age. (2) Owing to his lameness he could not walk straight.

The parsing of Gerunds

Gerund is a mixture of verb and noun. To parse it you have to show three different things about it in its verb-character, and one thing about it in its noun-character.

As verb. (a) In what form it is, - whether Indefinite, as going, or Perfect, as having gone.

(b) What kind of verb it is, - whether used Transitively or Intransitively.

(c) In what voice it is, - whether Active or Passive.

As noun (d) In what case it is, - whether Nominative, Accusative, or Genitive etc.

Examples.

(1) He is fond of swimming in the sea, and was pleased with himself for having swum out far from the shore. (Swimming – (1) as Verb; Indefinite; Intransitive verb; (2) as Noun; Accusative case after the preposition “for”).

(2) Deceiving others amused him, but he disliked being deceived himself. (Deceiving – (1) as Verb; Indefinite; Transitive verb; Active voice; (2) as Noun; Accusative case after the verb “disliked”).

The form ending in –ing may be either (a) followed by the preposition “of”; or (b) used in the plural number. In such cases it is a pure noun, and should be parsed like any other noun. It has no verb-character whatever; and hence it is qualified by an adjective, while, in its other uses, the gerund is qualified by an adverb.

(1) The second hearing of the case was postponed. Gerund, Singular number. Nominative case. Subject to the verb “was postponed.”

(2) I am much pleased with the surroundings. Gerund used as a Common noun. Plural number. Accusative case after the preposition “with.”

Test questions:

1. What are transitive and intransitive verbs?

2. What are the features of the finite form of the verb?

3. What is the verbal?

4. Give the definition of the gerund. What is the way of its parsing?

5. What is the infinitive? How should it be parsed?

6. What are the uses of the infinitive? Speak on them.

7. Participle, its definition, ways of the parsing.

Exercise 1. Parse every Infinitive that you can find in the following sentences.

1. We saw the ship leave the docks at four o’clock. 2. We hope to see him back soon. 3. He didn’t come back in time to spend Christmas with us. 4. We watched the cat steal silver towards the mouse and then suddenly seize it in its claws. 5. I was very much pleased to see you. 6. I am to blame, not you. 7. The boys dare not speak, when the master tells them to be silent. 8. Being quick to forgive and slow to avenge an injury, he made no one dislike him. 9. I shall be glad to see you, whenever you desire to come here. 10. There are many houses to let in this street. 11. That the injustices of the present world will be amended in the world to come is a thing to be hoped for the good and feared by the evil. 12. Let me see the ship sail by. 13. We must work while it is day; for the night cometh, when no man can work. 14. Make the horse step out a little faster. 15. Did you see that shooting star? 16. To err is human; to forgive divine. 17. I am ashamed to say that he let the man go without paying him. 18. Have you finished all the work that you had to do? 19. I am sorry to find that your feelings have been hurt.

Exercise 2. Comment on the form of the Infinitive.

a) 1. You must be careful with Dinny. 2. “Come along, Imogen,” said Winifred, “we must be getting back.” 3. You must have noticed her there. 4. The whole thing must have been going on under her eyes! 5. She’s like a beautiful exotic flower that must be sheltered from bitter winds. 6. This meeting, Edwina realized, must have been planned several hours ago.

b) 1. I want to know how long we are expected to wait. 2. He seemed to be weighing something in his mind. 3. You know how I hate to interfere in other people’s business. 4. First I considered myself to be standing high and lean, very fair, with a straight wide mouth. 5. Was the object attached to anything? I mean, someone couldn’t have been having a joke or something? 6. He seemed to have taken his defeat quietly. 7. I rang the bell of the dependable family, and the man answered with remarkable promptness; he seemed to have been waiting for it to ring. 8. Martin had in the meantime made himself as comfortable as circumstances would permit.

Exercise 3. Define noun and verb characteristics of the Infinitive.

1. Mr. Gordon began to breathe heavily. 2. The Farrells like to tell jokes. 3. “She must have combing her hair,” she said, “when they came for her.” 4. I haven’t meant to scold and don’t expect to be scolded. 5. He demanded to be taken to see the baby. 6. Could you ask him to come as soon as he can? 7. To hear him talk is an education itself. 8. There’s nothing to be done with her. 9. Well, I think we ought to be starting. 10. I cannot imagine why you should ever have been prevented from seeing the baby. 11. Jimmie tells me he is prepared to sign the statement. 12. They must be intending to go for a swim. 13. You might have thought of Miguel. 14. Our task is to master English.

Exercise 4. State the function of the Infinitive.

1. He began to describe in detail the beauties of the picture. 2. She did not trouble to put on a hat. 3. To dine there on a June evening was a delight. 4. The only thing she could do was to give advice. 5. We used to spend a lot of time in a Greek club. 6. They planned to spend their two weeks’ summer holiday in London. 7. I’d better come round and see what I can do for you. 8. He had other things to think of. 9. His boots stood in front of the fire to warm. 10. She was silent as they continued to walk. 11. Harry refused to go with them. 12. It is depressing to read about depression. 13. You’d better go home and talk it over with your husband. 14. He was not the man to take back the offer he had made. 15. I don’t think I look strong enough to have come here. 16. He was too timid to speak. 17. She hurried away to fetch an egg. 18. Our aim was to find Robinson’s house.

Exercise 5. Parse every Participle in the following sentences.

1. Having finished all the work given him to do, he seemed more pleased with himself than usual. 2. The sun, having set at six o’clock, left us in the evening twilight. 3. The sun, having set at six o’clock, we had scarcely enough daylight left to get home. 4. A faded rose is not so pleasing as a blooming daisy. 5. The rose in your hand is more faded than the one in mine. 6. Having been convicted of more than one theft, he left the country. 7. He seemed contented with his lot. 8. A contented mind is a continual feast. 9. It is not enough for a house to be well built; it ought also to be well planned. 10. The trees having cast their leaves, we are now on the verge of winter. 11. The trees, having cast their leaves, look bare.

Exercise 6. State the form of Participle I.

1. Alex was by a window, looking out at the city’s lights, when Margot returned. 2. His cough had slackened but his nose was still running. Otherwise, he didn’t grumble, he lay there being read to, at times apathetic. 3. Having eaten cold beef, pickled walnut, gooseberry tart, they walked into the park. 4. He was not very good at gardening, having brought up with a back yard and a few sinking geraniums. 5. She stepped forward, smiling. 6. Having said that Jolyon was ashamed.

Exercise 7. State the functions of Participles I. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1. Hoping Christine would come soon, he returned his attention to Flora and the morning mail. 2. He handed the message to her, who read it, leaning towards a light beside her. 3. He began to stammer, gazing at her troubled eyes. 4. Mr. Parker stood looking up and down. 5. Relocking the door, he glanced at the envelope. 6. Louise straightened her handbag, searching for her pencil. 7. They left the shining carriage, with the shining horses. 8. Daisy took her face in her hands as if feeling its lovely shape. 9. Two little boys carrying toy aeroplanes stopped dead, examining her dark eyelashes resting on her cream-coloured cheeks. 10. Putting down the receiver, Fleur took up the time-table.

Exercise 8. State the functions of Participles II. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1. The answer to this was unexpected. 2. You didn’t look so interested. 3. There was a stillness in the small intimate dining-room, broken only by subdued ticking of a Dutch clock upon the wall. 4. He replaced used ash-trays on the table with fresh, and refilled Dodo’s coffee cup, then the others. 5. He entered, puzzled but interested. 6. She always became impatient when asked to define a word of whose definition she was not sure. 7. Puzzled by the dim light, Sanders turned his attention to the inshore areas. 8. “Tell you what,” said Gideon, as if struck with a new idea. 9. You could have passed me by unnoticed. 10. Presently he came to a standstill, with his hands deep plunged into his pockets. 11. She had no photographs of herself taken since her marriage.

Exercise 9. Point out wholly and partially substantivized adjectives and Participles II. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1. John is a relative of Mrs. Smith’s. 2. The accuser stands to lose more than the accused. 3. She looked straight into his eyes. Her own were large, of a very dark brown, and starry. 4. Her hair was pale blond. 5. He walked with her along a pleasant corridor. Yellows and greens predominated. 6. That green as just my colour and it would make my eyes look green. 7. “I suppose you can speak Italian, can’t you?” – “No, I can speak English and French. My mother tongue is Russian.” 8. I thought he might be a Portuguese from the east coast. 9. The French see these things differently from us. 10. “The Scotch are such a moral people,” Catherine said. 11. It was she who saw to it that there were schools for their children, hospitals for their sick, food for those no longer able to work, and care and respect for the aged. 12. They’re taking some wounded out to the hospital ship right over there. 13. How foolish the old were, thinking they could tell what the young felt! 14. Philip heard that the poor helped one another. 15. Of the injured, Dodo was brought up last. 16. Just for an instant, she could feel ordinary among the ordinary. 17. The animals had been frightened, cold, wild as forest creatures, the strong attacking the weak, the weak waiting for the weaker to die so they could eat them. 18. His instinct had always been to forgive the beautiful. 19. The past, it seemed, did not die, as he had thought, but lived on beside the present, and sometimes, perhaps, became the future.

Exercise10. Define noun and verb characteristics of the Gerund.

1. It’s natural living like this alone with Nature. 2. Keeping his secret won’t do any harm. 3. All I want is getting the truth. 4. He had great difficulty in undoing his collar. 5. He didn’t like the idea of her staying with her father’s people in Capetown. 6. I don’t feel comfortable at Miss Brown’s leaving us so soon. 7. He was good at gathering mushrooms. 8. I kept walking quickly. 9. He was aware of Jack’s watching him attentively. 10. Raymond did not like being called Ray. 11. It was some time before I remembered having met him on the Liston plane. 12. She smiled without her teeth.

Exercise 11. State the syntactic function of the Gerund.

1. It’s no use doing things by halves. 2. She kept eyeing Henry with interest. 3. He didn’t feel like talking to anyone now. 4. I could not help thinking of the island in this anatomical way. 5. After pausing for breath she announced, “I have some excellent news.” 6. She explained this to them by saying she was busy. 7. She asked her one or two questions. Kitty answered them without knowing what they meant. 8. The land was the one thing in the world worth fighting for. 9. After a moment, everyone started talking again. 10. Jennie was busy all next day preparing for a cocktail-party. 11. She waited a minute or two before speaking. 12. Julie expressed horror at the very thought of going out into the cold. 13. I could not answer for coughing. 14. House-keeping with Lidia worked quite well. 15. “A mule would be useful for crossing the mountain,” I observed.

Exercise 12. Use the Gerund from the following list as:

a) subject

continuing, going, riding, keeping, finding

1. Robinson thought at the time that … a journal would be an occupation for my mind. 2. My brother always said that … is the best exercise. 3. I’m afraid it’s no use … this discussion. 4. It’s no use … over old ground. 5. … him there surprised me greatly.

b) direct object

sitting, opening, hearing, being, doing

1. I remember … her complain to Joe. 2. The box was stoutly made and resisted … . 3. I intend … it tomorrow. 4. Would you mind … over here? 5. Now I had resolved, if possible, to avoid … alone with any of these men, these strangers.

c) prepositional object

shaking, stopping, calling, getting, drinking, missing, dealing, being, saying, twisting

1. She was afraid of … Miller in the crowd. 2. He was fond of …: “The superstition of today is the science of yesterday.” 3. Thank you for … . 4. On the way home Sally insisted on … in front of our college. 5. I am assure you I am quite capable of … with the matter. 6. After that, of course, I had difficulty in … off Tom Wells. 7. I am sick and tired of … tea without milk. 8. Surely that prevents the day from … ordinary. 9. They were certainly clever at … one’s remarks.

d) attribute

eating, coming, getting, reading, going, greeting, discussing

1. The surgery opened at five-thirty, and I made a point of … along there quite promptly. 2. The only way of … to the dance was on our bicycles. 3. They talked and laughed and shouted, and there was the clatter of knives and forks, and strange sounds of … . 4. Philip had few friends. His habit of … isolated him. 5. He could not bear the thought of … his situation. 6. There were cries of … from a dozen voices and they moved toward her. 7. Philip could never tell lies without embarrassment, and he was scarlet when he finished his explanation for not … .

e) adverbial modifier of time

hearing, answering, leaving, passing, looking, reading, racing

1. She looked at the paper, after … out this question. 2. Before …, the little old lady grasped his arm. 3. He spent those nights after … at his mother’s house in Green Street. 4. He found an endless excitement in … at their faces and … them speak. 5. Tom considered before … . 6. She seemed excited on … this. 7. Poirot had looked up at the staircase in …, and shook his head in a dissatisfied manner.

f) adverbial modifier of manner, attending circumstances or cause

noticing, having, disguising, bringing, answering, working, coughing, laughing, breaking

1. Cindy glanced up, then away, without … . 2. Lize was able to make her own living by … at a factory. 3. Eventually Selvyn couldn’t laugh properly without … trouble? 5. Was he trying to escape by … himself? 6. Major Pennymann went on without … her interruption. 7. We might be fined for … the Press along, George. 8. You might run all my life by … your promise.

g) part of a compound verbal predicate

pacing, shaking, saying, looking, reproducing, eating, chatting, knitting

1. Teddy Lloyd continued … Jean Brodie in his paintings. 2. He began … the words aloud to himself. 3. They went on … their dinner. 4. The old man stopped … her fist and stick. 5. Sandy kept … ahead, Mary tried to keep up with her. 6. Anson Harris had ceased … out and was flying on instruments alone. 7. Two weeks old this child was, and the lady had just finished … her a pram-cover in stripes of white and blue. 8. The twins started … about their school life.