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-Introduction:

In this lesson, I will mainly discuss the present participle which is similar in word structure, but quite different in its uses, for which it becomes difficult to recognize if it is a participle or a gerund.

-What is a participle?

Participles are verbal adjectives. That is when a verb word having an ‘ing’ or –ed, -d, -t, -en, or -n at its end and performing the role of an adjective, is called a participle. As a participle is formed from a verb, it will have the characteristics of both verb and adjective.

Example:

• I need some boiling water.
• I found a destroyed bridge over a small river.

-Types of Participle:

Participles are of three types. They are:

1. Present participle
2. Past participle
3. Perfect participle

-What is a Present Participle?

The verbs that do not have their own adjective form, take ‘-ing’ at their end, and function as an adjective is called a ‍ present participle.

Example:

• This is an interesting story.
• We love the sight of the setting sun.
• William is a boring person.
• What an amazing idea you have had!
• My friend got a tiring job last month.
• We saw a running bus going towards New York City.

-Uses of Present Participle:

Present participles can be used in a variety of ways in clauses and sentences.

1. To form continuous tenses
2. Used in front of a noun to function as an adjective
3. Used after a noun to indicate the running state of that noun
4. Used after a noun or an objective form of a pronoun
5. Used to describe two actions happening at the same time
6. Used to explain the reason behind doing something
7. Used to express an action done continuously

1. – To Form Continuous Tenses:

To form all kinds of continuous tenses, the present participle form is needed.

Example:

• The students are coming to school.
• They will be reading at this time.
• He was reading at that time.
• The cricket players will have been playing tomorrow.

2. – Used in Front of a Noun to Function as an Adjective:

A present participle can be used in front of a noun to tell something about a noun or the running state of that noun.

Example:

• The crying man is asking for help.
• William is a boring person, I don’t like him.
• The dancing lady conquered the heart of all the audience through her fascinating dance.

3. – Used After a Noun to Indicate the Running State of that Noun:

A present participle can be used to indicate the running state or action of that noun. That is, the action of that noun has not been completed.

Example:

• The boys coming toward me are all my students.
• The man talking to us is a University professor.
• The students playing in the field are from this school.

4. – Used After a Noun or an Objective Form of a Pronoun:

After a noun or an objective form of a pronoun, a participle is used. The verbs that are used in this pattern are:

See, look, hear, sound, feel, taste, catch, find watch, smell, spend, waste, etc.

Example:

• We saw him teaching English.
• I heard them singing the national anthem.
• Everybody watched him helping the old man.
• I caught him stealing my cell phone.
• My mother found some money lying under the bed.
• I felt something crawling over my body.
• My mother smelt something burning in the kitchen.
• My friend spent the whole day playing cricket.
• He wasted money buying some unnecessary things.

5. – Used to Describe Two Actions Happening at the Same Time:

A present participle can be used to describe two different things happening at the same time.

Example:

• Reading books he gathered this knowledge.
• Walking down the road I found my childhood friend.
• Arriving late the job seeker realized he has missed the interview.
• Driving to work I practice learning English.

6. – Used to Explain the Reason Behind Doing Something:

A present participle can be used to explain the reason behind doing something different action.

Example:

• Being very poor, he could not bear the expenses of his studies.
• Knowing that he failed the test, he planned to take better preparation.
• Feeling bad, he left the place.
• He is studying very hard thinking he might fail the test again.

7. – Used to Express an Action Done Continuously:

A present participle is often used to express an action done continuously at the time of performing the main action of the subject.

Example:

• The school children came running to meet their teacher.
• All the boys went away laughing.
• We immediately got to talking to each other.
• The singers entered the room singing a beautiful song.
• They went laughing out of the room.

-Difference Between a Gerund and a Present Participle:

Both a gerund and a present participle look the same, so often it becomes somewhat difficult to recognize if it is a gerund or a participle. To identify which is what you are to look at what role they are playing in a sentence. The major differences between them are:

1. A gerund acts like a noun in a sentence. A present participle acts like an adjective.
2. A gerund can be the subject of a verb. A present participle cannot play the role of a subject of a verb.
3. A gerund can be the object of a transitive verb. A present participle cannot play the role of an object of a verb.
4. A gerund can be the object of a preposition. A present participle cannot be the object of a preposition.
5. A gerund is used after a possessive adjective or possessive case. A present participle is used after an objective pronoun or an objective case. [Gerund: I saw his crossing the river. Present participle: I saw him crossing the river.]

6. If the ‘-ing’ verb is used to make a compound noun, it is a gerund. And if ‘-ing’-verb is used to denote unfinished or ongoing work, then it is a present participle.