TYPES OF PARTICIPIAL PHRASES

Subordinate- clause type
relative -clause type
We saw that post- modifying participial phrases act as relative clause of both the defining and non defining and can be referred to as non- finite or reduced relative clause :
* Defining type: Students wanting immediate employment (= who want immediate employment) should consult their careers adviser.
*Non -defining type : Maggie, looking better for her holidays ( = who was looking better for her holidays) came over to greet me.
Adverbial type clause
Participial phrases can play the part of adverbial clauses , for example clauses of time, reason, concession, result. They can be called non-finite or reduced adverbial clauses. For example:
Time
* Completed at last ( = when it was completed ), a jigsaw is visible proof of your patience .
* Running her eyes down the text ( = as she was running her eyes down the text ) she spotted a mistake .

reason:
* Having no knowledge of the subject (= because I had no knowledge of the subject ), I could contribute nothing to the discussion .
* Humiliated by his retort ( = because I was humiliated by his retort ), I said nothing.
concession:
* Relishing the opportunity for revenge ( = although she was relishing the opportunity for revenge ) , she nevertheless waited patiently for the right movement .
* Disgusted by his treachery ( = though I was disgusted by his treachery ) I still , paradoxically, pitied him .
condition :
* Fed healthy food for six months or so ( = if they are fed healthy food for six months or so ) , these obese children will probably return to a normal body mass .
* Properly packed ( = if they had been properly packed ) , these goods have arrived unbroken .
 result :
* He won first prize , surprising even himself ( = so that he surprised even himself ) ,
          

TYPES OF PARTICIPIAL PHRASES

1 ) ADJECTIVAL TYPE
We know that participial phrases can modify nouns and pronouns.They may come before (pre- modifying) or after (post- modifying)the noun or pronoun:
* The people  waiting for the bus got very wet .
* Courses having a bearing on vocation are popular with students seeking a job  immediately after University.
* The meeting scheduled for 10.00 for everyone involved in the project has been postponed.
* Those leaving longer may take a copy ; those staying longer will be given theirs later .
Notice that in post- modifying participial phrases the participle can be followed by: 
* an object: student seeking job 
* a prepositional phrase : everyone involved in the project
* an adverb : those leaving now; those staying longer 
Post- modifying participles and participial phrases can do the work of relative clauses, of both defining and non -defining type:
1   defining type:
* those leaving now ( = those who are leaving now )
2   non- defining type :
* We visited the poet ' s house , now lying empty and badly neglected ( = We visited the poet' s house, which was now lying empty and badly neglected)
Such participles and participial clauses can be referred to as non-finite relative clauses or reduced clauses.
2 ) COMPLEMENT TYPE 
A participial phrase can occur as a complement after a linking verb or after the object of a complex transitive verb .
a ) after a linking verb
:: You seem dissatisfied with the arrangement .
* He grew increasingly subdued depressed .
2 ) after the object of a complex transitive verb such as make and get :
* Where can  I get my car professionally serviced .
* I can usually make myself understood by most people .
3 ) an observing or sensing verb can also have a participial phrase after its object :
* We watched the boxers training in the gym .
* I heard her leaving the house at four -thirty .
3  ) Adverbial type :
Present participles and present - participial phrases can describe the action in a similar way to an adverbial phrase :
* Shaking with silent fury , Sam closed the door again .
* The dog retreated in a corner , licking its wounds .
In some cases the activity represented in the participle phrase comes just before the action in the main clause :
* Picking herself  up again the child ran off quite happily .
* Folding her note neatly , she slipped it into an envelope .
Past participles and perfect participles are used for facts about the subject that precede the action of the main verb :
* Having trained at Loughborough, she was now teaching gymnastics at a private school .
* Born in London , she emigrated to Australia with her family at the age of eleven .





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PARTICIPIAL PHRASES

Participle phrases include a participle . Adjectival participial phrases can pre modify or post modify a noun or noun phrase.
* The afternoon sun, now sinking towards the west, was still too hot for comfort .
* The slowly moving crowds filled the pavement as I emerged from the literally baking interior of the Underground station.
A PARTICIPIAL PHRASE can be the complement of a linking verb , or the object complement of a complex transitive verb ,and can also follow the object of an observing or sensing verb .
* I was letting myself become oppressed by the heat and stress, so I decided to chill out and get myself properly sorted out  by sitting down and having a drink.
Present participial phrases can describe the action like an adverbial phrase , or express action that just precedes that of the main verb
* A man was walking between the tables, moving unobtrusively and behaving suspiciously.
Participial phrases often function like subordinate clauses of reason , concession condition, time and so on, and can even be introduced by conjunctions
* Though inexperienced in street fighting  I resolved to grab him round the legs and bring him to the ground.
Some participial phrases have their own subject , and are independent of the main subject and verb .
* The police having been alerted by this time, sirens were heard in the distance and very soon a police car drew up alongside us.
Certain participial phrases serve as sentence adverbials and are independent of the main object.
* Considering my earlier mood of lethargy and self- pity , and taking into account the possibility that the owner of the purse was still completely unaware of the loss, the incident began to seem quite funny.
So participial phrase is a phrase involving a participle. Such a phrase can have an adjectival or adverbial function , or it may act as a complement . It may even function as a subordinate clause , or it may be independent of the main sentence structure.
Types of participial phrases
* Adjectival type

VERB PHRASES

A verb phrase typically consists of a main verb + one or more auxiliaries, of which may be a model auxiliary .
A verb phrase is a word group that makes up the verb in a sentence. The verb in a sentence may be a single word :
* They lowered the flag .
* We eat sensibly .
But if it consists of more than one word , it is a verb phrase :
* They were lowering the flag .
* Could you help me?
* We have always eaten sensibly .
Make sure you know the difference between a verb phrase and a phrasal verb :
A phrasal verb is an idiomatic combination of verb + one or more adverbial particles or prepositional particles .:
There are certain idiomatic word groups , composed in various ways , that combine with a main verb to function rather like modal verbs . They can be called ' modal combinations '
A phrasal verb :
*We ran into problems .
* Leave out the second paragraph .
A verb phrase :
*  You might have run into problems .
* You can leave out the second paragraph .

SENTENCE ADVERBIALS

Adverbial phrases may also serve as sentence adverbials also called disjuncts . representing a comment by the speaker , and standing clear of the main grammatical structure of the sentence :
* Pretty evidently , she acted out of spite.
* Quite honestly ,I ' d rather just go to bed .
* To a certain extent , that is correct .
* At the end of the day , all that matters is keeping out of bed .
As an alternative you can use to- infinitive .
* To be quite honest , I didn't really want to go .
* To be fair , she was only trying to help.
As well as modifying the action represented by an action verb , an adverbial phrase can be a complement after a linking verb or after the object of a complex transitive verb .
* I 'll be back home soon.
* Your dinner is in the microwave .
* Our name is on the door .
* Keep your steps in time with the music .
There are several adverbial expressions consisting of a pair of time or direction adverbs linked by and :
* The birds bobbed up and down on the waves .
* Figures moved in and out among the trees  .
* I see Fred now and then .
* We walked on and on .
The structure noun    + preposition +noun ,or pronoun +pronoun + preposition + pronoun:
* Little by little  we cleared the mess .
* Disasters came one after the another .
* Stand back to back.
* Hour after hour they waited .
* The two ministers came head to head (= into direct conflict ) over this issue .

TYPES OF ADVERBIAL PHRASES

Adverb modified by an intensifier, moderator , emphasizer ,or other adverb :
  *The party went very well.
    * you are trying too hard .
 *You spoke rather angrily .
 * You are walking fast enough .
* Please speak more slowly .
*They arrived noticeably late .
* That dress fits you quite perfectly.
A prepositional  phrase:
* I hung my coat on the peg .
* Mum was working in the kitchen .
* The taxi drew up beside us .
* Dad sat down in the armchair .
A noun phrase :
* Next day we arrived at Jakarta,
* Sally guessed the right answer every time .
* Last winter the village pond  froze over .
*All night the planes droned overhead .
Adverb of place or time emphasized or modified by another adverb :
* The taxi parked right outside .
*Come over here ,
* I don't want to climb up there .
*When did you get back home ?

Adverbial phrases

An adverbial phrase is any phrase that has an adverbial function in a sentence;
that is,it modifies the action represented by the verb.

• George was walking very briskly.
• George was walking in the woods.
• George was walking towards the flagpole.
• George was walking with great determination.
• George was walking on tuesday evening 

ADJECTIVAL PHRASES USED AFTER A NOUN OR PRONOUN(POST MODIFICATION)

1 a prepositional phrase

• the girl in the ticket office
• anybody with any sense
• people of real integrity
• an operation on the kidneys
• changes to the timetable

2 an adverb of place or time emphasized or focused by another adverb:

• my folks back home
• the rubbish in there
• the weather down here
• the situation  right now
• my mood just then

3 an adjective + prepositional phrase (consisting of a a customary preposition+object):

• the person responsible for the confusion
• people allergic to wheat flour
• something wrong with my computer
• teenagers dependent on drugs

4   a participle phrase:

•     an operation lasting five hours
•  an operation performed with enormous skill
• the people waiting for the bus
• tests set by education inspectors
• chairs made of moulded plastics

5    a noun phrase:

• my operation last year
• her behavior the following day 
• the meeting next week

ADJECTIVAL PHRASES AS COMPLEMENTS:

• subject complement after a linking verb :
• The operation was very successful .
• you are perfectly right .
• My voice sounded strangely loud .
• Is the timetable absolutely up-to-date ?
• Such behavior is typical of teenagers .
• She became disillusioned with teaching .
• Are you still angry with me?
• These questions are not relevant to the main enquiry.
• The strangers were dark-skined and long-haired.
• object complement after the object of a complex transitive verb:
• You've made your mother very proud.
• Consider yourself extremely fortunate.
• The approaching storm had turned the sky quite black.
• We'll paint the walls pale green.
• You've lost yout key?I call that very careless.
• The shock left him incapable of speech.
• My doctor has declared me fit for work.
• I found the content of the programme very up-to-the minute. 

ADJECTIVAL PHRASES

Adjectival phrases are any phrases that do the job of an adjective in describing or modifying a noun or pronoun :
* an extremely skillful operation
* a heart - in -the -mouth operation
* a long awaited operation

* a very successfully operation
* a brilliantly performed operation
* a round -the -clock operation
* an operation on the kidneys 
* The operation was quite painless .
TYPES AND POSITIONS OF ADJECTIVAL PHRASES
Adjectival phrases can come before or after a noun , and can take many different forms.
Adjectival phrases used before a noun ( pre -modification)
1  an intensifier, moderator, or other adverb + adjective :
   * a rather silly remark , miserably cold weather
2  *an adverb +participle :
    * dubiously acquired wealth , a hard -won battle
 3 a possessive expression :
* the headmaster 's room   , last year 's report
4 hyphenated phrases of various kinds
noun phrase
* a ten story building , a seventy foot yacht
phrases based on an adjective
 *a blood -red lipstick , crystal-clear water
a prepositional phrase
*in -your -face language ,an over- the- top  reaction
a phrase based on a participle
* a leather -bound book , sun -dried bananas , index -linked pensions
an adjective or number + noun formed into an -ed participle
* blond haired children ,long -legged animals ,four -winged insects
a phrasal- verb derivative
* some left- over food , a much sought -after delicacy
other combinations
*up -and- down mood swings , wall -to wall carpets

NOUN PHRASES THAT EXPLAIN: APPOSITION

Some time a noun phrase, a noun or proper noun is added with a comma after a noun phrase , to identify the person or thing  or place  you mean more exactly :
* the home of ballet , Russia
* Zubaida ' native tongue , Malay
* the bird of peace , the dove
* the latest fashion , navel jewellery
NOTICE : Expressions such as  that is , that is to say , namely can be used to emphasize the identification:
* Zubaida ' tongue , that is Malay
* Shakespeare 's Scottish play , namely, Macbeth
* the bird of peace , that is to say , the dove
Sometime you add a comma + noun phrase as an explanation after a name  or other noun ;
* Mr Lal, our lab assistant
* Penang , a holiday island off the cost of Malaysia
* pepper ,a substance handy for self defence
The nouns and noun phrases that are in apposition do not necessarily come side by side - they may be separated :
* Ben arrived yesterday , a volunteer worker from Australia
* My aunt always carries her own form of self defence  in her pocket , namely a small pepperpot.
NOUN PHRASES IN THE GRAMMAR OF A SENTENCE
*Noun phrases as subject :
A strange looking balloon was circling overhead .
All the traffic on the motorway slowed down .
The man repairing the road stopped work .
* NOTE: When two noun phrases are linked by AND , and the combination is the subject of the verb , the verb is plural :
* Please note that flash photography and video recording are forbidden .
When the linking conjunction is or , the verb is strictly singular but , in practice , sometimes plural:
* I  think I ' ll invite my cousins John and Jack to my party .
NOUN PHRASES AS DIRECT OBJECT:
* I bought four plastic hooks in the DIY shop.
*Libby sold me her painting of lighthouse .
NOUN PHRASE AS OBJECT OF A  PREPOSITION:
* Please keep us some front -row seats for the show .
* We had to shift an enormous tree lying across the road .
NOUN PHRASES AS INDIRECT OBJECT :
 * Mum used to make my sisters the most wonderful clothes .
*They found the evicted family some temporary accommodation .
NOUN PHRASES AS SUBJECT COMPLIMENT AFTER A LINKING VERB :
*Diana seems right person for this job .
*Geoff has become a terrible bore .
 NOUN PHRASES AS OBJECT COMPLEMENT AFTER A COMLEX TRANSITIVE VERB :
*I call it a major disgrace .
*I painted the door a kind of greenish- brown .
NOUN PHRASES AS ADVERBIALS :
*We will discuss it next week .
*The noise continued all night .
NOUN PHRASES AS CONJUNCTIONS:
* Phone me the minute you hear any news.
* Every time I arrange to meet her , she cancels .

NOUN PHRASES IN CONTEXT

NOUN PHRASES may consist simply of a 'pre- modifying' article or determiner + noun . A pre determiner may come before the article or determiner.
For example:
1 a storm
2 my relations
3 some money
4 the postman

5 these fashions
But in many noun phrases the noun has , besides the article or determiner , one or more adjectives , adjectival phrases , or prepositional phrases before it or after it :
For example :
1 the larger  picture
2 unusual  happenings
3 some wonderful  news 
4 our new neighbours  in the flat opposite
5 an  extraordinarily talented  girl in my class 
6 the in-your-face language typical of today ' s TV soaps 
7 an enormous plate of fish and chips 
8 a politely worded letter to the managing director 
9 last- minute applications for tickets for the show 
10 my parents' old fashioned  opinions about proper behaviour 
11 recent important  changes affecting many school - leavers
NOTICE that  within the adjectival material attached to these nouns there are a lot of ' sub ' noun phrases:
the flat opposite , today's TV soaps,TV soaps, the managing director ,my parents ,tickets for the show , proper behaviour, fish and chips, the show ,many school-leavers
The MAIN NOUN that is being described ( picture, happenings, news, neighbors and so on in the original examples)is said to be the head of the noun phrases.
NOTICE that a pronoun can also be the head of a noun phrases :
* anybody with an interest in saving the planet 
*the brutal few responsible for these atrocities 
* those on income support 
* the starving millions 
*Modification before or after nouns or pronouns 
The adjectival material added before or after a noun or pronoun is called modification. Many different types of modification can be added to a noun or pronoun; for example :
*  before a noun (pre- modification):
 1  a determiner ( or pre- determiner+ determiner) :
    * the frog, my cousin, half the trouble, some products, that factory, all our houses, few reasons, 
2  a number:
*  four blackbirds, two thousand sheep 
 3  one or more adjectives:
 * beautiful weather , a charming hostess . unhealthy, greasy food 
4  a possessive :
    * Helen' method, the city ' drain , tomorrow ' agenda 
5  an adjective modified ( intensified , moderated, emphasized or characterized) by an adverb:
*   an utterly unsuitable outfit, a highly appropriate punishment, the barely audible announcement , a         cheerfully flamboyant outfit 
6  a present or past participle :
     * whirling leaves , a planned pregnancy
7   an adverb + participle :
     * a slowly  moving crowds, their closely observed progress 
8    a descriptive or identifying noun :
     *  mountain scenery , the Singapore skyline 
9    a hyphenated string :
    *  blood- red lipstick , crystal- clear water , a three- hour meeting , made- up stories , sun- dried 
       tomatoes ,longer -lasting lather ,an old - clothes shop, a fruit - and -vegetable shop  ,an on- the -
        spot report , a longed- for break 
*    The  hyphenated string can be any of several kinds of phrase or word group , for example :
   *  a noun phrase ( three- hour , old- clothes) 
    * two nouns linked by a conjunction :( fruit- and - vegetable )
    * a phrase based on an adjective ( blood- red ,crystal -clear )
   * a prepositional phrase ( on- the- spot)
   *a phrase using a participle ( longer-lasting , sun- dried)
   * a form derived from a phrasal verb ( made-up , longed for)

NOUN PHRASE AFTER A NOUN OR PRONOUN (POST - MODIFICATION)

1 An adverb or adjective:
    * the route home , something strange , a court martial , people mad about football , a man capable        of murder  the way in
2   a participle  or participial  phrase:
     * the people dancing , those invited , the lady sitting on your left ,the rubbish strewn over the    ground
3   a prepositional phrase :
   * the things in this drawer , a present for my aunt , a box of books , the city of London , no place like home, plays of Shakespeare , the making of the Roman Empire , the matter of pay ,
NOTICE ALSO that  more complex constructions can be added as modification after a noun or pronoun , for example :
* a to- infinitive : the need to hurry ,time to relax , nobody to talk to ,a mat to stand on
* a clause: the reason why we failed , a theory that gets support nowadays , the discovery that the earth goes round the sun
* construction with as : birds such as macaws , cuisine as varied as Singapore
 NOUN PHRASES THAT EXPLAIN :APPOSITION
For example : my sister jill ,her dog Jupiter ,his partner Vicky , the composer Bach
 Noun phrase added with a comma: our new car, Honda

VERB PHRASES

VERB PHRASES are the words  in a sentence that make up the verb. That is ,a verb that consists of more than one word is a verb phrase. A verb phrase is typically made up of an auxiliary or modal auxiliary verb plus a main verb . But there may be more than one auxiliary :
* I have finished.
* Should we warn them?
* You might have been badly injured.
* Jim had been studying very hard.
*We shall soon be arriving in Switzerland.
* She must have forgotten.
THERE ARE WORD GROUPS that fill the role of other kinds of word class or part of speech. For example:
There are several word groups that act as prepositions:

• on top of  the cupboard         
• out of  the drawer
• according to my dad
• because of  the delay
• in spite of her injury
• away from the town
• in front of the hotel
• along with his friends
• on account of her injury
• in line with  our policy

These are called complex prepositions,NOT prepositional phrases.The term prepositional phrase refers to an adverbial or adjectival phrase that begins with a preposition, such as in bed,at school,with a limp,over the door,beside the railway.
2 There are several word groups that act as conjuctions, for example:

•  so long as it's safe
• last time i tried
• on condition that you pay
• in case it rains
• in view of the fact that it's late
• provided that they agree
• every time I try
• so that everyone gets a turn
• as if he already knew

These multi-word conjunctions can be called complex conjunctions.
The role of present and past particples
Participles can form part of a phrase acting as one of the word classes,or themselves
have the function of a word class,for example:

• Sweat was pouring off his face(part of a verb phrase)
• scattered showers (part of a noun phrase)
• the man leaning against the lamp post(part of an adjectival phrase)
• various points concerning the difficulties.(preposition or part of an independent participal phrase)
• Supposing everything's organised,we can start tomorrow.(conjunction)
• Granted she had a big disadvantage, she should have done better.(conjunction)

The term partcipal phrase is typically used for an adjectival phrase that contains a participle, and comes before or after or after or after a noun or pronoun:

• badly injured passangers
• those sitting at the rear of the train

We shall examine in more detail the roles of participles and participial phrases at the end of this chapter. 

WHAT IS A PHRASE ?

 IN everyday language a phrase is thought of vaguely as any group of words that has meaning but isn't a sentence or clause . In grammatical terms, however, a phrase is a word group that not only has meaning  but also grammatical status . It can have the grammatical status of any of the word clause or parts of speech. That is a phrase may have the function of a noun , adjective,adverb or verb and so on within a sentence.
We shall be looking at four main types of phrase; noun phrase, adjectival phrase,adverbial phrase and verb phrase. We shall also examine the roles of participial phrases.
NOUN PHRASES can have any of the grammatical roles that nouns have. For example;
1 subject of a verb ;
* My younger sister  is arriving tomorrow.
* The new supermarket opens everyday.
2  object of a verb:
*  I found a map of prague in my room
* I have lost my bunch of keys.
3   object of a preposition:
* A number of charities focus on child poverty.
* He arrived home with a cut knee.
4   complement of a linking verb  or object complement after a complex transitive verb:
*  Several of my friends were members of the choir.
* You have made me the proudest mother of the world.
ADJECTIVAL PHRASES act as adjectives, so they describe nouns and pronouns.They can be found in various positions in relation to the thing or person they describe. For example:
1  before a noun :
* an absolutely terrible experience
* on the sport reporting
* one day old chicks
2 after a noun or pronoun :
* anybody with any common sense
* a letter from the landlord
3  as the complement of a linking verb or as an object complement:
* The baby is sound sleep.
* You have made me extremely proud.
ADVERBIAL PHRASES act as adverbs, and can have a variety of adverbial roles:
1  describing or enlarging on the action:
* He died very peacefully.
* He died among his loved ones.
*I 'll see you this evening.
*Toys lay all over the floor.
*The work was completed in less than a month.
2  acting as the complement of a linking verb or as an object complement;
* Jack is at school.
*Joe seems in excellent form.
* The head looks out of proportion.
*Amy imagines herself  in the height of fashion.
*You think me out of touch, don't you?
3 acting as a sentence adverb:
*In my opinion ,Brian should have returned to Ireland.
*In the first place , we haven't enough cash.
* In conclusion I would say that the enterprise was a moderate success.
*Kenneth is still a child  ,in a way.
*To a certain extent  , you are right.
*At the end of the day it ' s audience enjoyment that counts.
*To my dismay , Kay refused my invitation.
*To be honest , I was quite relieved.