05/10/2025
1. What is a Participle?
A participle is a verbal form (a form of a verb) used to make:
Tenses (e.g., He is running → present participle),
Voices (e.g., The work was done → past participle),
Or adjectives (e.g., a broken chair).
👉 So, a participle is part verb + part adjective (or noun modifier).
Types:
Type Form Example Meaning
Present participle Verb + ing The crying baby needs milk. expresses active or continuous action
Past participle Verb + ed/en/t/n (varies) A broken glass can’t be fixed. expresses passive or completed action
Perfect participle having + V3 Having finished the task, he went out. shows completed action before another
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🔹 2. What is a Verbal Adjective?
A verbal adjective is a participle used purely as an adjective — it describes a noun but does not retain any verbal force (no object, no tense, no adverb).
✅ Example:
A boring lecture → “boring” describes lecture only (not doing verb work).
A broken vase → “broken” simply describes vase, no verb action implied.
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🔹 3. Key Difference Between Verbal Adjective and Participle
Point Participial Use Verbal Adjective Use
Nature Verb form with some verbal force Pure adjective in function
Function May describe a noun and take an object or modifier Describes a noun only
Example 1 The man carrying a bag is my uncle. → “carrying” = participle (takes object “a bag”) The carrying man is tired. → “carrying” = verbal adjective
Example 2 Students reading attentively learned quickly. A reading student (just describing type of student)
Example 3 A fallen leaf lay on the ground. (participle showing result of action) A fallen hero (verbal adjective, describing character state)
Adverbial Relation Often modifies a verb or clause (shows time, reason, etc.) Only modifies a noun
Can have object/adverb ✅ Yes → carrying a bag, reading fast ❌ No → a reading student (no object)
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🔹 4. Simple Shortcut Rule:
> ✴️ If the word describes a noun only, it’s a verbal adjective.
✴️ If the word describes a noun and also keeps its verb nature (like taking object/adverb), it’s a participle.
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🔹 5. Examples with Analysis:
Sentence Function Explanation
The crying child needs help. Participle “crying” = describing child and showing an action (the child is crying).
A crying baby annoys me. Verbal adjective “crying” = simply describing the kind of baby.
The tired worker went home. Participle (past) “tired” = shows state as a result of work (action done).
The tired face looked pale. Verbal adjective “tired” = adjective describing appearance.
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🔹 6. Visual Memory Trick 🎯
Think this way:
Participle → “half verb + half adjective” (active, has action)
Verbal adjective → “full adjective born from a verb” (no action left)
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🔹 7. In Bangla Understanding (বাংলায় ব্যাখ্যা):
English বাংলা ব্যাখ্যা
Participle ক্রিয়ার রূপ যা কোনো বিশেষ্যকে বিশেষণ হিসেবে বর্ণনা করে, কিন্তু ক্রিয়ার কিছু গুণাবলি ধরে রাখে। যেমন: The boy carrying a bag. (ছেলেটি ব্যাগ বহন করছে – ক্রিয়ার কাজও আছে)
Verbal Adjective ক্রিয়া থেকে উৎপন্ন এমন বিশেষণ যা কেবল বর্ণনা করে, কোনো ক্রিয়ার ভাব প্রকাশ করে না। যেমন: a sleeping bag (একটি ঘুমানোর ব্যাগ – এখানে ঘুমানোর কাজ নেই, কেবল নাম)।
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🔹 8. Practice Examples:
✅ Identify whether participle or verbal adjective:
1. The shining stars look beautiful. → Participle (shows action)
2. Shining eyes attract people. → Verbal adjective
3. The broken chair is useless. → Participle
4. A broken heart is hard to heal. → Verbal adjective
5. The barking dog chased me. → Participle
6. A barking dog seldom bites. → Verbal adjective
