Present Participle Phrase

A Present Participle Phrase is a Participal Phrase with Present Participle as a Head Word.

• AKA: Present Participial Phrase.
• Context:
  • It can (typically) function as an Adjective (they modify Nouns or Pronouns).
  • It can be:
    • a Direct Object, e.g. “I enjoy [nagging Bill].”
    • a Sentence Subject, e.g. “[Nagging Bill] is enjoyable."
  • It cannot be transformed by Pronomial Substitution, e.g. “I enjoy [nagging Bill]." ⇒ "I enjoy [it]”.
• Example(s):
  • “nagging Bill” in: “I enjoy [nagging Bill].”
  • “nagging Bill” in: “[Nagging Bill] is enjoyable.”
  • “watching the killer whales” in “The woman [watching the killer whales] got wet.”
  • “keenly hunting the ducks” in: “That dog [keenly hunting the ducks] must be a thoroughbred.”
  • “Hidden by the trees” in: “[Hidden by the trees], Jerry waited to scare Mark.”
• See: Present Participle Phrase, Verbal Noun.

---