Get a Grip on Grammar Lesson 6

ASSIGNMENT
GRAMMAR EXERCISE – In each sentence there is an underlined verbal. Identify whether the verbal is a participle, gerund, or infinitive.

1. The frightened (participle) people ran for their lives
2. Randy learned no to ride fast over cobbled (participle) streets.
3. The wailing (gerund) of the bagpipes frightened the baby.
4. For tomorrow I plan to learn (infinitive) a poem by heart.
5. Helen promoted the practice of making (participle) contributions to good causes.
6. Reaching (participle) the Big Apple by nine o’clock, they begin work.
7. By evening, returning (participle) to Connecticut is a relief.
8. Which of Melville’s works is our assigned (participle) book?
9. My fondest wish, to meet (infinitive) Frank Sinatra, never came true.
10. Our swimming (participle) instructor taught us the butterfly stroke.


WRITING EXERCISE – Describe your favorite sport using each of the three types of verbals at least once.

If I had a favorite sport I guess I would pick baseball. I played it as a kid and enjoyed it very much. Today I do not follow sports. I do not know if I can describe the game, but I’ll try.

Two teams gather to play (infinitive) baseball; the winning team (participial) and the loosing team. Lighten up this is a joke. The two teams each have a captain. Nine players are picked for each team. One team is up to bat (infinitive) while the other team goes out to the field to catch the ball the batter hits. They have five of their players covering the bases including the pitcher and catcher.

The playing field (participial) is made up of five bases. Four are lain out in a diamond shape with the home base being in line with the pitchers base, which is located smack in the middle of the diamond shape. There is also a catchers’ box which is located above the home base.

The object of the game is to score points when each batter runs the bases and ends up at home base. Home base is where the batter stands. The pitcher throws a ball to the batter who in turn hits the ball into the air with his bat. The batter has three tries to hit the ball; each miss is called a strike. Three strikes are called an out; the game gets three outs before the opposite team can come up to bat. It is called an inning when the teams trade places after the scoring team gets three outs. There are nine innings to a game of baseball unless more has to be played to break a tie in the score.

The catcher catches the balls that are missed by the batter. His job is to throw the ball back to the pitcher. There is also an umpire that stands behind the catcher and he is in a position to view the plays. He first of all calls the plays but he also settles any disagreement among the players about a play in question. His word is final and the players have to settle for what he decides.

If the batter swings at a ball and misses the play is called a strike. He gets three strikes then he is out and the next player on his team is up for bat. The ousted player goes to the bench and watches the other teammates play.

When the batter hits a ball he drops his bat and runs toward the first base to his right. There is a path connecting the bases he follows. He tries to run to as many bases as he can before the other team throws the ball to one of the base police to tag him. He needs to stay put for that play. He can continue trying to get to another base anytime in the game. This is called steeling a base. If he is tagged with the ball by the opposite team he is out, which counts as one of the three outs for his team.

The game continues with another batter and so on until the team gets three outs. The team scours a point for each player that makes it to home base. If the batter hits the ball and the opposite team catches it he is called out, but if they fumble the ball the batter gets to run the bases. If the batter hits the ball far enough it is call a home run because he has enough time to run all the bases before the opposite team retrieves the ball.

I do not think I have explained the game in a way it makes sense, but the game is really a fun game to play. It is fun to watch, but playing (gerund) is more fun.