LESSON 48.
SUBJECT OR COMPLEMENT MODIFIED BY A PARTICIPLE.
+Hints for Oral Instruction+.—You have learned, in the preceding Lessons, that a quality may be assumed as belonging to a thing; as, white chalk, or that it may be asserted of it; as, Chalk is white. An action, also, may be assumed as belonging to something; as, Peter turning, or it may be asserted; as, Peter turned. In the expression, Peter, turning, said, what word expresses an action as assumed, and which asserts an action? Each pupil may give an example of an action asserted and of an action assumed; as, Corn grows, corn growing; geese gabble; geese gabbling.
This form of the verb, which merely assumes the act, being, or state, is called the +Participle+.
When the words growing and gabbling are placed before the nouns, thus: growing corn, gabbling geese, they tell simply the kind of corn and the kind of geese, and are therefore adjectives.
When the or some other adjective is placed before these words, and a preposition after them, thus: The growing of the corn, the gabbling of the geese, they are simply the names of actions, and are therefore nouns.
Let each pupil give an example of a verb asserting an action, and change it to express:—
1st, An assumed action; 2d, A permanent quality; 3d, The name of an action.
Participles may be completed by objects and attributes.
+Analysis and Parsing+.
+Model+.—Truth, crushed to earth, will rise again.
Truth | will rise
==========|=============
\cru | \again
\ shed
————
\to
\ earth
\———-
+Explanation of the Diagram+.—In this diagram, the line standing for the principal word of the participial phrase is broken; one part slants, and the other is horizontal. This shows that the participle crushed is used like an adjective to modify Truth, and yet retains the nature of a verb, expressing an action received by truth.
+Oral Analysis+.—This is a sentence, because ——; Truth is the subject, because ——; will rise is the predicate, because ——; the phrase, crushed to earth, is a modifier of the Subj., because ——; crushed introduces the phrase and is the principal word in it; the phrase to earth is a modifier of crushed; to introduces it, and earth is the principal word in it; again is a modifier of the Pred., because ——. Truth crushed to earth is the modified subject, will rise again is the modified predicate.
+Parsing+—Crushed is the form of the verb called participle. The action expressed by it is merely assumed.
1. The mirth of Addison is genial, imparting a mild glow of thought. 2. The general, riding to the front, led the attack. 3. The balloon, shooting swiftly into the clouds, was soon lost to sight. 4. Wealth acquired dishonestly will prove a curse. 5. The sun, rising, dispelled the mists. 6. The thief, being detected, surrendered to the officer. 7. They boarded the vessel lying in the harbor. 8. The territory claimed by the Dutch was called New Netherlands. 9. Washington, having crossed the Delaware, attacked the Hessians stationed at Trenton. 10. Burgoyne, having been surrounded at Saratoga, surrendered to Gen. Gates. 11. Pocahontas was married to a young Englishman named John Rolfe. 12. A shrug of the shoulders, translated into words, loses much force. 13. The armies of England, mustered for the battles of Europe, do not awaken sincere admiration.
(Note that the participle, like the predicate verb, may consist of two or more words.)
(Note, too, that the participle, like the adjective, may belong to a noun complement.)