1. Participles:
* Present Participles: End in "-ing" (e.g., *walking, singing, sleeping*)
* Function: Adjectives (describing nouns) or part of verb phrases
* *The walking dog barked loudly. (adjective)*
* *She is singing a beautiful song. (part of verb phrase)*
* Past Participles: Often end in "-ed" or "-en" (e.g., *walked, broken, sung*)
* Function: Adjectives (describing nouns) or part of verb phrases
* *The broken vase lay on the floor. (adjective)*
* *The song has been sung many times. (part of verb phrase)*
2. Gerunds:
* End in "-ing" (e.g., *swimming, reading, cooking*)
* Function: Nouns, acting as subjects, objects, or complements
* *Swimming is my favorite exercise. (subject)*
* *I enjoy reading novels. (object)*
* *His hobby is cooking. (complement)*
3. Infinitives:
* Usually "to" + verb (e.g., *to eat, to sleep, to run*)
* Function: Nouns, adjectives, adverbs, or part of verb phrases
* *To learn is important. (noun, subject)*
* *She had a desire to travel. (adjective, modifying "desire")*
* *He came to see the show. (adverb, modifying "came")*
* *I want to go home. (part of verb phrase)*
Key differences:
* Participles: Always describe nouns or act as part of a verb phrase.
* Gerunds: Always function as nouns.
* Infinitives: Can have multiple functions as nouns, adjectives, adverbs, or part of a verb phrase.
Example Sentences:
* Participle (adjective): The roaring lion startled the tourists.
* Gerund (subject): Hiking is a great way to get exercise.
* Infinitive (noun): To succeed requires hard work.
Remember: Verbals have verb characteristics but are used in other grammatical roles, adding flexibility and nuance to language.