An –ing form can be used in several different ways. Sometimes it is used like a present participle. Sometimes it is used like an adjective. It can also be used like a noun or an adverb.
State whether the–ing formsused in the following sentences are adjectives or present participles.
1In the sentence "A rolling stone gathers no moss," what is the function of "rolling"?
Wrong!
The correct answer is "Adjective" because rolling describes the noun stone.
2In the sentence "That was an interesting book," what is the function of "interesting"?
Wrong!
The correct answer is "Adjective" because interesting describes the noun book.
3In the sentence "You are smoking too much," what is the function of "smoking"?
Wrong!
The correct answer is "Present participle" because smoking is part of the present continuous verb are smoking.
4In the sentence "He put the smoking cigarette end in the ashtray," what is the function of "smoking"?
Wrong!
The correct answer is "Adjective" because smoking describes the noun phrase cigarette end.
5In the sentence "The delay was maddening," what is the function of "maddening"?
Wrong!
The correct answer is "Adjective" because maddening describes the subject delay after the linking verb was.
6In the sentence "She is waiting for us," what is the function of "waiting"?
Wrong!
The correct answer is "Present participle" because waiting is part of the present continuous verb is waiting.
7In the sentence "The scenery was enchanting," what is the function of "enchanting"?
Wrong!
The correct answer is "Adjective" because enchanting describes the subject scenery after the linking verb was.
8In the sentence "Barking dogs seldom bite," what is the function of "barking"?
Wrong!
The correct answer is "Adjective" because barking describes the noun dogs.
9In the sentence "The news was distressing," what is the function of "distressing"?
Wrong!
The correct answer is "Adjective" because distressing describes the subject news after the linking verb was.
10In the sentence "Interesting though it was, I didn't like the film," what is the function of "interesting"?
Wrong!
The correct answer is "Adjective" because interesting describes the film as a quality, not an action in a continuous tense.
Exercise complete
0 out of 10
correct answers
Answers
- In the sentence “A rolling stone gathers no moss,” what is the function of “rolling”? — Adjective
- In the sentence “That was an interesting book,” what is the function of “interesting”? — Adjective
- In the sentence “You are smoking too much,” what is the function of “smoking”? — Present participle
- In the sentence “He put the smoking cigarette end in the ashtray,” what is the function of “smoking”? — Adjective
- In the sentence “The delay was maddening,” what is the function of “maddening”? — Adjective
- In the sentence “She is waiting for us,” what is the function of “waiting”? — Present participle
- In the sentence “The scenery was enchanting,” what is the function of “enchanting”? — Adjective
- In the sentence “Barking dogs seldom bite,” what is the function of “barking”? — Adjective
- In the sentence “The news was distressing,” what is the function of “distressing”? — Adjective
- In the sentence “Interesting though it was, I didn’t like the film,” what is the function of “interesting”? — Adjective
Notes
- When an
- –ing form is used to make continuous tenses, it acts like a present participle.
When an
- –ing form is used to modify a noun, it acts like an adjective. –ing forms used like subject complements are also adjectives.