Explain participles to a fifth grader include graphics and create a test with answers

 What is a participle?

A participle is a verb that is used as an adjective. It can modify a noun or pronoun. There are two types of participles: present participles and past participles.

Present participles end in -ing. They can be used to describe an action that is happening at the same time as the main action of the sentence.

• The running dog chased the cat.
• The talking student was asked to leave the room.
• The singing birds filled the air with their music.

Past participles end in -ed, -en, or -d. They can be used to describe an action that happened before the main action of the sentence.

• The tired dog fell asleep on the couch.
• The broken vase was thrown away.
• The finished homework was turned in to the teacher.

Graphics:

Present participle:

The running dog chased the cat.

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running dog

Past participle:

The broken vase was thrown away.

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broken vase

Test:

1. Choose the correct participle to complete the sentence:

The (running, ran) child caught the ball.

2. Underline the participle in the following sentence:

The (singing) bird filled the air with its music.

3. Identify whether the following participles are present or past:

• (walking)
• (broken)
• (dancing)
• (finished)

Answers:

1. running
2. singing (present participle)
3. walking (present participle), broken (past participle), dancing (present participle), finished (past participle)

Additional tips for teaching participles to fifth graders:

• Use real-world examples to help students understand how participles are used in everyday language.
• Encourage students to use participles in their own writing.
• Play games and activities to help students learn and practice using participles.

Here is a fun activity that you can try with your students:

• Write a list of verbs on the board.
• Have students work in pairs to come up with present and past participles for each verb.
• Once students have finished, have them share their participles with the class.

For example, for the verb "run," students might come up with the following participles:

• Present participle: running
• Past participle: ran

You can also have students write sentences using participles. For example, you could give them a topic sentence and have them add a participle to make it more descriptive.

Topic sentence: The dog chased the cat.

Participial phrase: The barking dog chased the cat.

By using a variety of activities and examples, you can help your fifth graders understand and use participles effectively.