Appositive Phrases, Gerund Phrases, and Participial Phrases



Grammar Worksheet #9:

Appositive Phrases, Gerund Phrases, and Participial Phrases

The Appositive:

Def. A noun or pronoun that renames another a word that precedes it, usually intended to give further explanation or definition.

Ex: The president of the council, Mr. Johnson, made a new law.

The Appositive Phrase:

Def. A noun phrase made of an appositive and any modifiers that renames a word that precedes it.

Ex: My friend Joe, a veteran fireman, collects license plates.

Wrong: My friend Joe, who is a fireman, collects license plates.

(This is a clause and not a phrase because it has a subject an a verb. Don't be confused.)

Part One: Appositive Practice: Directions -

• Highlight the word that is renamed by the appositive or appositive phrase.

• Underline the entire appositive phrase once.

• Underline the appositive twice.

Ex: When I went to Lawson, a school in Cupertino, I learned about language.

Ex: I called the referee, John, to ask about the score.

1. The monkey, a nimble animal, is often found in the jungle.

2. Dave Lewis, a teacher at Lawson, works with many aspiring musicians.

3. Before you trash BoBo, your last childhood stuffed animal, consider saving it.

4. The coast of Africa, one of the world's largest continents, is a prosperous trading region.

5. Mr. Sonntag hired two new teachers, Mr. Davies and Ms. Parker.

6. The fastest animal, the peregrine falcon, can travel more than 100 miles per hour at certain times.

7. Our family visited The Smithsonian Institution, a vast network of galleries in Washington, D.C.

8. Our neighbor and his daughters, Parvi and Sonya, take walks every evening.

9. The giant plane, a Boeing 747, launched into the air.

10. The flashlight should be returned to Mark, the owner.

Part Two: Appositive Practice: Directions -

• Write three sentences including appositives or appositive phrases.

• Highlight the word that is renamed by the appositive or appositive phrase.

• Underline the entire appositive phrase once.

• Underline the appositive twice.

11. ____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

12. ____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

13. ____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

The Gerund

Def. A noun that is derived from a verb and always ends in "-ing."

Ex: Yelling is fun.

The Gerund Phrase (or "gerundial" phrase)

Def. A gerund plus modifiers.

Ex: Yelling at my brother is fun. [The gerund phrase acts like the subject.]

Ex: I enjoy yelling at my brother. [The gerund phrase acts like the direct object.]

Wrong: Mr. Jones will be running the school newspaper.

(In this case, the word "running" is acting like a verb and not a noun.)

Part Three: Gerund Practice: Directions -

• Underline the gerund twice.

• Underline the entire gerund phrase once.

• Write "SUB" if the gerund acts like a subject, write "DO" if the gerund acts like the direct object, or write "OP" if the gerund acts like the object of a preposition.

•

EX: Alysa heard clapping in the next room.

DO

EX: Alex learned about writing sentences.

OP

14. His mother gave him five dollars for cleaning the patio.

15. Running into Bob was an uncomfortable situation.

16. Eating oatmeal can help your heart.

17. The crazy boys tried jumping from the roof.

18. Adam's identification card was ruined during the washing of his jeans.

19. Biting your Jolly Rancher is bad for your teeth.

20. Tom likes making dinners that are delicious

21. Coal mining should be stopped for environmental reasons.

22. Sailing to the middle of the ocean would be difficult.

23. The newspaper forbids publishing pictures without permission.

Part Four: Gerund Practice: Directions -

• Write three sentences including gerunds or gerund phrases.

• Underline the gerund twice.

• Underline the entire gerund phrase once.

• Write "SUB" if the gerund acts like a subject, write "DO" if the gerund acts like the direct object, or write "OP" if the gerund acts like the object of a preposition.

24. ____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

25. ____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

26. ____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

The Participle

Def. a form of a verb that acts like an adjective.

Ex: The rusted bridge fell into the gorge.

Ex: Sweating, Mark disabled the bomb.

The Participial Phrase

Def. a participle and its modifiers

Ex: Swaying back and forth, the palm trees seemed peaceful.

Ex: Billy ran towards home, hearing his mother's call.

Wrong: Listening to music helps my studies.

(In this case, "listening" is a gerund because it acts like a noun. Don't confuse it with a participle.)

Part Five: Participle Practice: Directions -

• Highlight the word that is described by the participle or participial phrase.

• Underline the entire participial phrase once.

• Underline the participle twice.

Ex: The monkey swinging through the trees was howling madly.

27. The volcano towering above the island was spewing hot steam from the top of its cone.

28. Knowing the answer, Tom raised his hand and told Mr.Oncay, his favorite teacher, his solution.

29. The students gathering in the quad were members of the band.

30. Our respected principal enjoys singing.

31. The cake fell to the ground, deformed beyond repair.

32. Treasured by generations of famous naturalists, Yosemite is a protected region.

33. The phone rang loudly, startling the students.

34. My mother's reassuring voice helped me through the earthquake.

35. Gonzo, my trained lizard, stood on his hind legs for the audience.

36. Michael watched his toy boat disappearing into the pond.

Part Six: Participle Practice: Directions -

• Write three sentences including participles or participial phrases.

• Highlight the word that is described by the participle or participial phrase.

• Underline the entire participial phrase once.

• Underline the participle twice.

37. ____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

38. ____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

39. ____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

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