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Participle facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

A participle is a special kind of word in English grammar. It acts a bit like a verb and a bit like an adjective. Think of it as a word that can show action (like a verb) but also describe something (like an adjective).

Participles are formed from verbs. There are two main types:

  • Present participles usually end in -ing (like running, singing).
  • Past participles often end in -ed, -en, or -t (like walked, eaten, built).

Here are some examples of how participles are made from verbs:


Verb		 Past
Simple		 Past
Participle		 Present
Participle		 Type
to hire hired hiring Regular
to do did done doing Irregular
to say said saying
to eat ate eaten eating
to write wrote written writing
to beat beat beaten beating
to sing sang sung singing
to see saw seen seeing

Participles often describe nouns, just like adjectives do. They can come before the noun or sometimes after it.

  • The visiting dignitaries enjoyed the baked apples. (visiting describes dignitaries, baked describes apples)
  • Please bring all the documents required. (required describes documents)

Present Participles

Present participles always end with -ing. They are used in a few ways:

  • To show ongoing action: They help form the progressive aspect (actions happening now or over a period).
    • Jim was sleeping.
    • They are playing outside.
  • To describe a noun: They act like adjectives.
    • Let sleeping dogs lie. (sleeping describes the dogs)
    • The shining sun warmed us. (shining describes the sun)
  • To add more information to a sentence:
    • Broadly speaking, the project was successful.

Past Participles

Past participles can end in -ed, -en, -t, or have other irregular forms. They are used for:

  • To form the perfect tenses: These tenses show actions that are completed or have happened before.
    • The chicken has eaten.
    • They had finished their homework.
  • To form the passive voice: This is when the subject of the sentence receives the action.
    • The chicken was eaten.
    • The ball was thrown by the pitcher.
  • To describe a noun: They can act like adjectives, showing something that has been done to the noun or something the noun has done.
    • Our fallen comrades. (fallen describes comrades who have fallen)
    • The attached files. (attached describes files that have been attached)
  • To add more information to a sentence:
    • Seen from this perspective, the problem has no easy solution.

Irregular Past Participles

Many verbs have irregular past participles, meaning they don't just add -ed. Often, they end in -en or -ne.


Verb		 Past
Participle
to beat beaten
to do done
to eat eaten
to fall fallen
to give given
to help holpen
to show shown
to see seen
to write written
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Participle Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.