NTUT Academic Writing (Week 4): Participial Phrases

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NTUT Academic Writing (Week 4) Participial
Phrases
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?Participle a word formed from a verb and used
as an adjective to modify nouns.
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?Participial Phrases

• participles other modifiers
• used to modify nouns and pronouns.
• To make it negative
• Ex. The cars driver, not realizing what had
  happened, continued on his way.

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?Participial Phrases Formed from Relative Clauses

• (by reducing subject pattern)

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?Position and Punctuation of Participial Phrases

• A restrictive participial phrases follows the
  noun it modifies.
• Ex. There are twelve students receiving rewards
  this year.
• A nonrestrictive phrase may precede or follow the
  noun it modifies.
• Ex. Teresa, hurrying to catch a bus, stumbled and
  fell.
• Hurrying to catch a bus, Teresa stumbled and fell.

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• An introductory participial phrases modifies the
  noun IMMEDIATELY following it.
• Ex. Hoping for an A, my exam grade
• disappointed me. (X)
• Hoping for an A, I was disappointed in
  
• my exam grade. (O)
• The participial phrase can also modify an entire
  independent clause.
• Ex. The team won the championship,
• shocking the opponents.

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?General Form ParticiplesActive Voice.
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?Test Yourselves

• 1. Robotics is a complex field that combines
• electrics, computer science, and
  mechanical
• engineering.
• 2. The number of students who are studying
• robots is growing.
• 3. Soon, robots that will work in assembly plants
  will be
• able to follow voice commands.
• 4. Robots, which have the ability to withstand
• temperatures and radiation levels, can
• perform jobs that are too dangerous for
  humans.

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?General Form Participles (1) Passive Voice
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• (2) Continuous Form Participles emphasizes the
  Action
• is Happening
  Now

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?Test Yourselves

• 1. Computer programs that are known as expert
  system will combine
• textbook knowledge and rules of
  experience to make decisions.
• 2. Computers that are programmed to diagnose
  diseases accurately
• are important tools for doctors.
• 3. The uses of artificial intelligence that are
  now being suggested have
• created excitement around the world.
• 4. Robots that are currently being designed will
  do many dangerous
• jobs.
• 5. A robot that was built to work outside
  spaceships functioned
• perfectly during its first assignment.

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?Perfect Form Participles

• Active (having discovered) Passive (having been
  discovered) Emphasize the COMPLETED action

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?Test Yourselves

• 1. Women around the world, who have traditionally
  been without political power, are beginning to
  gain
• influence in politics and government.
• 2. England, which has been ruled by queens
  several times in its history, elected a woman
  prime minister
• in 1979.
• 3. On the other land, voters in the United
  States, who have not experienced strong female
  leaders at the
• national level, may never elect a
  woman president.
• 4. Both India and Pakistan, which have elected
  women prime ministers in the past, are more
  progressive
• in this area than the United States.
• 5. Alaska, which was purchased from Russia in
  1867, became the 49th state of the U.S. in 1959.
• 6. The state, which was once connected to Asia by
  a land bridge, is now separated from it by only a
  few
• miles of water.
• 7. The Eskimos, who have lived in Alaska for
  millions of years, have adapted well to their
  harsh

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?Editing Practice (make 5 corrections)
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?Participial Phrases from Adverbial Clauses
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(No Transcript)
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?Test Yourselves

• 1. Before I left home, I promised my parents that
  I would return.
• 2. Since I made that promise four years ago, I
  have thought about it often.
• 3. Since I am the eldest son, I am responsible
  for taking care of my parents.
• 4. As they grow older, they will need my
  assistance.
• 5. After I had received my B.A., I went to
  graduate school for two years.
• 6. While I was studying at the University of
  Chicago, I enjoyed living in a
• big city.
• 7. When I think about my future, I always
  remember my promise.

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?Editing Practice