Practice and learn participial phrases doesn’t have to be hard or boring. With a little bit of practice and the right examples, you will start noticing how much smoother your writing becomes. Our participial phrase worksheet is designed to be approachable, effective, and even a little fun.
In this complete article, we will explain the Participial phase with a practice set of Participial Phrase Worksheet. So go ahead—download it, print it, share it with your class or study in a group to learn a Participial Phrase.
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What is a Participial Phrase?
A participial phrase starts with a participle—that’s a verb form acting like an adjective—and includes other words that complete its meaning.
Example: Running down the hill, the child laughed with joy.
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Participial Phrase Worksheet With Answers
If you’re a teacher looking for ready-to-use material or a student practicing for exams, this participial phrase worksheet fits right into your grammar lesson plan.
Exercise 1: Identifying Participial Phrases
Instructions: Read each sentence below and underline the participial phrase. Then, circle the noun or pronoun that the participial phrase modifies.
- Running to catch the bus, she tripped and fell.
- Shocked by the announcement, he didn’t know how to react.
- The barking dog kept everyone awake all night.
- Hiking up the mountain, they felt a sense of accomplishment.
- Sweating under the sun, the runners pushed forward.
- Tired from the game, he fell asleep immediately.
- Worried about the presentation, she forgot her notes.
- Covered in paint, the artist smiled at his work.
- Enjoying the view, they stayed at the mountaintop longer than expected.
- Chasing the butterfly, the cat dashed across the garden.
Answers:
Sr.No | Participial Phrase | Modifies |
1. | Running to catch the bus; | she |
2. | Shocked by the announcement; | he |
3. | barking; | dog |
4. | Hiking up the mountain; | they |
5. | Sweating under the sun; | runners |
6. | Tired from the game; | he |
7. | Worried about the presentation; | she |
8. | Covered in paint; | artist |
9. | Enjoying the view; | they |
10. | Chasing the butterfly; | cat |
Exercise 2: Completing Sentences with Participial Phrases
Instructions: Complete each sentence with a participial phrase. Use the verb in parentheses to create the participle.
- ________, they walked to the nearest café. (thirsty)
- ________, she ran out to the car. (scared)
- ________, he walked through the park. (relaxed)
- ________, she waited for the results. (nervous)
- ________, the hikers began to feel the cold. (wet)
- ________, they decided to take a break. (tired)
- ________, he took a deep breath before speaking. (anxious)
- ________, they sat down to watch the movie. (excited)
- ________, she continued working on her project. (determined)
- ________, they enjoyed their time at the beach. (relieved)
Answers:
- Thirsty from the heat,
- Scared of the thunder,
- Relaxed after a long day at work,
- Nervous about the exam,
- Wet from the rain,
- Tired after the long hike,
- Anxious about the interview,
- Excited for the film,
- Determined to finish on time,
- Relieved to finally be on vacation,
Exercise 3: Correcting Sentences
Instructions: Each sentence below contains an error with a participial phrase. Identify and correct the error in the sentence.
- The students were talking loudly, excited about the game.
- The cat sat on the windowsill, to sleep in the sun.
- Walking down the street, the rain started to fall.
- The teacher, having taught for many years, was very knowledgeable.
- The dog, barking at the mailman, ran to the door.
- Running from the storm, the dog found shelter under a tree.
- The children, tired from the game, played outside all afternoon.
- Confused by the instructions, she didn’t know what to do next.
- To play in the snow, the kids bundled up in coats.
- The cat, to avoid the rain, stayed inside all day.
- Walking through the door, the phone rang.
- The actors, exhausted from the rehearsal, went home early.
- Surprised by the gift, she couldn’t stop smiling.
- To finish the assignment, he worked late into the night.
- Excited for the vacation, the family packed their bags.
Answers:
- The students, excited about the game, were talking loudly.
- The cat sat on the windowsill, sleeping in the sun.
- Walking down the street, she saw the rain start to fall.
- The teacher, having taught for many years, was very knowledgeable.
- The dog, barking at the mailman, ran to the door.
- This sentence is correct.
- This sentence is correct.
- The kids, wanting to play in the snow, bundled up in coats.
- The cat, avoiding the rain, stayed inside all day.
- As I was walking through the door, the phone rang.
- This sentence is correct.
- This sentence is correct.
- He worked late into the night to finish the assignment.
- This sentence is correct.
Exercise 4: Writing Your Own Sentence using Participial Phrases
Instructions: Write your own sentences using participial phrases for the following prompts.
- Running late for work.
- Surprised by the results.
- Stressed from the exam.
- Bored by the lecture.
- Covered in mud.
- Exhausted from the journey.
- Thrilled by the surprise.
- Hoping for the best.
- Angry at the mistake.
- Pleased with the outcome.
Answers:
- Running late for work, he skipped breakfast and grabbed his keys.
- Surprised by the results, she smiled and gave a thumbs-up.
- Stressed from the exam, I took a deep breath and relaxed.
- Bored by the lecture, the students began to doodle on their notebooks.
- Covered in mud, they laughed and jumped into the car.
- Exhausted from the journey, they collapsed on the couch.
- Thrilled by the surprise, she hugged everyone in the room.
- Hoping for the best, they waited for the results.
- Angry at the mistake, she asked for a recheck.
- Pleased with the outcome, they celebrated the success.
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Participial Phrase Worksheet: Download Free PDF
FAQs on Participial Phrase Worksheet
Look for a verb form that acts like an adjective and usually comes before or after the noun it describes. Participial phrases often start the sentence or come right after the noun.
A participle is just the verb form (like running, baked, or fallen). A participial phrase includes the participle and any other words related to it.
Example: Participle: Running, Participial phrase: Running through the forest.
Practicing participial phrases improves sentence variety, writing fluency, and grammar accuracy. It helps students:
– Avoid choppy sentences
Write more descriptively
Spot and fix dangling or misplaced modifiers
Yes, they can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence. Placement depends on what the phrase is modifying. Just make sure it’s placed next to the noun it describes to avoid confusion.
Example: Beginning: Covered in snow, the cabin looked magical.
End: The cabin looked magical, covered in snow.
No. A gerund is a verb form ending in -ing that acts as a noun, while a participle acts as an adjective.
Example: Gerund: Swimming is my favorite activity.
Participle: Swimming in the lake, he felt refreshed.
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