What Is a Present Participle? Definition and Writing Examples | EpicScribe
A present participle is the -ing form of a verb. It can help form a continuous verb tense, describe a noun, or begin a participial phrase that adds simultaneous action.
Why It Matters in Creative Writing
Present participles are useful for showing overlapping action and compressing scene description. They can also create accidental dangling modifiers or a string of repetitive -ing openings, so writers need to balance efficiency with clear subjects and varied rhythm.
Examples
- Continuous tense: Mara was running toward the gate. A present participle needs a helping verb when it is the main verb of a continuous tense.
- Adjective: The flickering lantern swung in the wind. Here “flickering” describes the lantern, while “swung” carries the main action.
- Simultaneous action: Checking the lock, Mara heard the alarm begin. The participial phrase must attach to the character performing the action.
Practical Editing Tips
- Decide whether an -ing word is acting as part of the verb, an adjective, or a modifier before editing the sentence around it.
- Use participial phrases to connect genuinely simultaneous actions, not to rush through every beat of a scene.
- Name the subject after the introductory phrase to avoid a dangling modifier.
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