Participial Phrases

One way to combine sentences for more variety is to use participial phrases. To create a participial phrase from two sentences that have the same subject, you take the verb of one sentence (along with its direct or indirect object or complement), make it into its participial form ( ending in -ing or -ed), and add it to the other sentence.

Here are the steps. You have two sentences:

Jasper swung the broadsword. Jasper ran at the dragon.

In these sentences, the subject is the same. Take the verb of the first sentence ("swung"), along with its direct object ("the broadsword") and change the verb into its participial form with -ing: "Swinging the broadsword." Now add it to the beginning of the second sentence:

Swinging the broadsword, Jasper ran at the dragon.

You could write this a number of ways:

Jasper, swinging the broadsword, ran at the dragon.

Jasper ran at the dragon, swinging the broadsword.

There are many different ways to use participial phrases. This is just one of them.

It is important to place the participial phrase as close as possible to the noun it modifies, though. Otherwise, you will confuse your reader. People do this all the time and don't even notice they are doing it, so be careful:

Striking midnight, Emily noticed the clock.

In this sentence, it sounds as if Emily is making the noise, not the clock. Beware of dangling modifiers!

You can also use the past participle form to combine sentences, when the participle describes the subject.

Wendell was disgusted. Wendell forced himself to eat his breakfast.

Disgusted, Wendell forced himself to eat his breakfast.