Introduction to Verbal Phrases
What Are Verbal Phrases?
A verbal phrase is a group of words that includes a verb acting as a different part of speech. There are three main types of verbal phrases:
- Gerunds – These are verbs ending in -ing and act as nouns.
- Example: Swimming is fun.
- Participles – These are verbs that act as adjectives, describing nouns.
- Example: The broken vase lay on the floor.
- Infinitives – These are verbs in the form of “to + base verb” and can act as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.
- Example: To swim is relaxing.
Identification Practice
Underline the verbal phrases in the following sentences and label each one as a gerund, participle, or infinitive.
- Running in the morning helps me stay fit. ____________
- The child, laughing joyfully, played in the park. ____________
- To learn a new language is challenging but rewarding. ____________
- I saw the cat sleeping on the couch. ____________
- To succeed in school, you need to study regularly. ____________
Identifying Verbal Phrases
Matching Activity
Match each sentence with the correct type of verbal phrase: Gerund, Participle, or Infinitive.
- I want to travel the world. ________
- Dancing is her favourite hobby. ________
- The boiling water was too hot to touch. ________
- To paint requires patience. ________
- The barking dog annoyed the neighbors. ________
Fill in the Blank
Complete each sentence by filling in the blank with the correct form of a verbal phrase.
- ___________ helps improve my focus. (Hint: use a gerund)
- My favorite thing to do on weekends is ___________. (Hint: use an infinitive)
- The ___________ leaves fell off the tree. (Hint: use a participle)
- I love ___________ in the rain. (Hint: use a gerund)
- She decided ___________ a new skill. (Hint: use an infinitive)
Using Gerunds
Circle the Gerunds
Identify and circle the gerunds in each sentence.
- Walking to school keeps me healthy.
- I enjoy cooking new recipes on the weekends.
- Reading every night helps me relax.
- Singing loudly made her happy.
- The art of painting takes patience.
Rewrite Sentences Using Gerunds
Rewrite each sentence to use a gerund in place of an infinitive phrase.
- I like to swim. → ________________________
- He decided to dance. → ________________________
- They plan to visit soon. → ________________________
- To exercise is important. → ________________________
- I love to read before bed. → ________________________
Using Participles
Underline the Participle Phrases
Underline the participle phrases in each sentence and write what they describe.
- The cat, purring softly, curled up on my lap.
- Participle phrase: ____________________
- Describes: ___________________________
- The children, tired from running, fell asleep quickly.
- Participle phrase: ____________________
- Describes: ___________________________
- I found my lost keys lying under the table.
- Participle phrase: ____________________
- Describes: ___________________________
- The broken window was quickly repaired.
- Participle phrase: ____________________
- Describes: ___________________________
- Watching the sunset, she felt at peace.
- Participle phrase: ____________________
- Describes: ___________________________
Add Participle Phrases
Complete each sentence by adding a participle phrase.
- The dog, ___________, chased the ball.
- ___________, the baby fell asleep.
- The food, ___________, was delicious.
- The student, ___________, aced the exam.
- ___________, the flowers added color to the room.
Using Infinitives
Underline the Infinitives
Underline the infinitive phrases in each sentence.
- She hopes to visit Europe next summer.
- To be a good friend means being there when needed.
- He has a lot of chores to do this weekend.
- To see the Northern Lights is on my bucket list.
- The teacher encouraged us to read every day.
Sentence Creation with Infinitives
Write sentences using infinitive phrases that match the given prompts.
- Something you enjoy doing every day.
- Example: ___________________________
- A goal you have for the future.
- Example: ___________________________
- Something that requires patience.
- Example: ___________________________
- A way to relax after a long day.
- Example: ___________________________
- Something that helps you learn.
- Example: ___________________________
Final Review Test
Final Review: Verbal Phrases
For each question, identify and label the verbal phrase(s) as Gerund, Participle, or Infinitive. Then, answer any specific questions about each sentence.
- Identifying Verbal Phrases
Read each sentence, underline the verbal phrase, and label it as Gerund, Participle, or Infinitive.
a. "Her dream is to travel the world one day." __________
b. "The barking dog woke everyone in the neighbourhood." __________
c. "Swimming is the best way to stay fit." __________
d. "He enjoys painting landscapes in his free time." __________
e. "To finish this book will take a lot of time." __________
- Correcting Sentences
Rewrite the sentences to use the correct type of verbal phrase. Hint: Each sentence needs a different type of verbal phrase.
a. "I want cooking for dinner tonight."
Rewrite: __________________________
b. "Running the marathon, he is proud of himself."
Rewrite: __________________________
c. "To play soccer every day good for health."
Rewrite: __________________________
- Creating Sentences
Write a sentence for each prompt using the correct verbal phrase type.
a. A sentence that uses a gerund phrase to describe a hobby:
b. A sentence that uses a participle phrase to describe a person:
c. A sentence that uses an infinitive phrase to express a goal:
- Matching Activity
Match each sentence to the correct type of verbal phrase: Gerund, Participle, or Infinitive.
a. "Reading before bed helps me relax." __________
b. "The broken window needed repair." __________
c. "To study every day is his goal." __________
Answer Key
- Identifying Verbal Phrases
- a. Infinitive – "to travel the world"
- b. Participle – "barking"
- c. Gerund – "Swimming"
- d. Gerund – "painting landscapes"
- e. Infinitive – "To finish this book"
- Correcting Sentences
- a. "I want to cook for dinner tonight."
- b. "Proud of himself, he finished running the marathon."
- c. "Playing football every day is good for health."
- Creating Sentences
- a. Gerund (hobby): "Cooking is her favorite way to relax."
- b. Participle (person): "The smiling girl greeted everyone warmly."
- c. Infinitive (goal): "His goal is to become a doctor."
- Matching Activity
- a. Gerund
- b. Participle
- c. Infinitive
