* An adjective: Describing a noun or pronoun.
* Example: "The broken vase was beyond repair." (Broken modifies "vase")
* Part of a verb phrase: Combining with an auxiliary verb to form a verb tense.
* Example: "She is walking down the street." (Walking is part of the present progressive tense)
* A noun: Used as the subject or object of a sentence.
* Example: "The running was tiring." (Running is the subject of the sentence)
* An adverb: Modifying a verb, adjective, or other adverb.
* Example: "He looked at me confused." (Confused modifies "looked")
It's important to remember that participles are verb forms that act as other parts of speech, adding flexibility to sentence structure.