EXERCISE 1:

Find the gerunds, gerund phrases, participles, participial phrases, infinitives or infinitive
phrases in these sentences, tell what kind of verbal they are, and how they are used.
1. You are difficult to understand.
2. Jack hopes to join the Army next month.
3. The Senate favors increasing taxes.
4. The broken lamp lay on the floor.
5. I saw him trying to open the trunk.

Answers
1. to understand is an adverb infinitive modifying the predicate adjective difficult
2. to join the Army next month is a noun infinitive phrase used as the direct object
3. increasing taxes is a gerund phrase used as the direct object
4. broken is a participle modifying the subject lamp
5. trying to open the trunk is a participial phrase modifying the direct object him/to open
the trunk is a noun infinitive phrase used as the direct object to the verbal trying
EXERCISE 2:
Find the gerunds, gerund phrases, participles, participial phrases, infinitives or infinitive
phrases in these sentences, tell what kind of verbal they are, and how they are used.

1. The glancing blow did little damage.

2. Go to the dictionary to look for the answer.
3. This computer game is easy to play and to understand.
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4. Have you tried writing it down daily?

5. His chief interests are skiing and racing.

Answers
1. glancing is a participle modifying the subject blow
2. to look for the answer is an adverb infinitive phrase modifying the verb go
3. to play/to understand are adverb infinitives modifying the predicate adjective easy
4. writing it down daily is a gerund phrase used as the direct object
5. skiing/racing are gerunds used as predicate nominatives
EXERCISE 3:
Find the gerunds, gerund phrases, participles, participial phrases, infinitives or infinitive
phrases in these sentences, tell what kind of verbal they are, and how they are used.
1. Are you too busy to help us?
2. The crying child rushed to his mother.
3. He jumped from the cliff without looking down.
4. Walking is good for everyone.
5. Jim loves to play basketball.
6. Correction by others is hard to take.
7. Fearing their enemies, many small animals are nocturnal.
8. Law and Order is the program to watch tonight.
9. I don't know whether to go or to stay.
10. Our next job, to finish the painting, should be easy.
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Answers
1. to help us is an adverb infinitive modifying the predicate adjective busy
2. crying is a participle modifying the subject child.
3. looking down is a gerund phrase used as the object of the preposition without
4. walking is a gerund used as the subject
5. to play basketball is a noun infinitive phrase used as the direct object
6. to take is an adverb infinitive modifying the predicate adjective hard
7. fearing their enemies is a participial phrase modifying the subject animals
8. to watch tonight is an adjective infinitive phrase modifying the predicate nominative
program
9. to go/to stay are noun infinitives used as direct objects
10. to finish the painting is a noun infinitive used as an appositive/ painting is a gerund
used as the direct object to the verbal to finish