LEMBAGA BAHASA UNIVERSITAS PAMULANG

MEETING IX
(Structure and Written Expressions)
PARTICIPLES AND DEGREES OF COMPARISON

A. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

In the end of the meeting, students are expected to be able to solve problems
in:
1. Using Present Participle in the context
2. Correcting Present Participle as Verb and Adjective
3. Identifying Past Participle
4. Analysing Past Participle
5. Identifying Degrees of Comparison
6. Using Degrees of Comparison

B. MATERIAL DESCRIPTION
1. Clause
A clause is a group of related words that shows a full sentence. There
are two kinds of clauses, they are:

a. Independent clause
It is also called the main clause or also called the main sentence. It
must have a subject and a verb and it can stand alone because it is a complete
and perfect sentence. In the sense of the sentence provides complete and
complete information.

Simon Leviev is a wise man

b. Dependent clause
It is called subordinate clause. It has a subject and a verb, but it
cannot stand alone as a perfect sentence. This dependent clause requires an
independent clause to be a perfect sentence and provide complete
information.

she knows the woman who stole the bag

2. Sentence with one clause

Some sentences in English only have one subject and verb, and we
have to find the subject and verb in these sentences. In some sentences we
can easily find the subject and verb. However, certain structures, such as

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objects of prepositions, appositives, and participles, it can make confusion

in locating the subject and verb because each of these structures can look
like a subject or verb. In a sentence, the subject can be difficult to identify
because some words can look similar to the subject, as well as the verb. An
object of the preposition or an appositive can be mistaken for a subject,
while a participle can be mistaken for a verb.
Therefore, we have to pay attention in sentences with one subject
and verb: 1) we have to be sure the sentence has a subject and a verb, 2) we
should be careful of objects of prepositions and appositives when you are
looking for the subject, and 3) we should be careful of present participles
and past participles when you are looking for the verb.

3. Present Participle
In English, we have to know about present participle. It is one of the
skills that must be understood in the sentence with one clause material. The
present participle is a form of ‘verb –ing’ such as talking, eating, sleeping.
The difference in the TOEFL Structure test is that the present participle can
be used as a verb or it can also function as an adjective.
The present participle is a form of verb- ing. This type of sentence
can function as:

1. Present Participle as part of Verb, if the verb-ing comes after 'to be' (is,
am, are, was, were)
Rachelvenya is standing in the second floor.

2. Present Participle as Adjective, if the verb-ing does not appear together

with 'to be'
The girl standing in the second floor was beautiful.

Here are some examples of usage the present participle:

a. The formula of Continuous Tense

The present participle is used in the preparation of continuous
tenses. In continuous tenses, the characteristic that can be seen is the
presence of be + Ving. It can vary depending on the subject and time
reference, while V+ing is what is called the present participle.

Sinta and her mother are posting the same photos in

Instagram.

Dini was watching YouTube when her baby screamed

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The words "posting" and "watching" in the sentences above are

present participles formed from post+ing and watch+ing. The
meaning of these words is that the action is being carried out at a
certain time.

b. -Ing Adjectives
The present participle can be used as adjective. We can use the
adjective to describe nouns that could be people, thing, or the
situation.
The film is really boring.
Tiktok is an amazing mobile phone application.
The words “boring” and “amazing” in the sentences above are
the adjective.
c. The Present Participle comes after “Go”
We use the present participle after some verbs of movement,
most commonly ‘to go’.
To go running
To go climbing
To go sailing

d. The Present Participle comes after certain verbs

The present participle also can be used after the sense verbs
(saw, looked, heard, watched, smelled)
She saw the handsome boy posting a photo
Aurel heard Atta calling for help

e. Expressing two activities happen at the same time

When two activities happen in the same time, we can also use
the present participle.
Biking to work Jeremy listened song in Spotify
Stalking Tinder she met her cousin

4. The Past Participle

Besides having to know the present participle, in English we have

to know about the past participle. The past participle is a verb that usually
ends in -ed or -d for regular verbs, and the changes in irregular verbs can
vary. In general, we can say that past participle as a form of the third verb.
Similar to the present participle, the past participle can also stand as a verb
or as an adjective.

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The following is an illustration of changing the form of the regular

verb:

Base Form Past Simple Past Participle

post posted posted
upload uploaded uploaded
download downloaded downloaded
install installed installed
update updated updated
push pushed pushed
limit limited limited

The following is an illustration of changing the form of the

irregular verb

Base Form Past Simple Past Participle

be was/were been
choose chose chosen
freeze froze frozen
steal stole stolen
go went gone

Here are 3 uses of the past participle:

a) As Adjective
The past participle can be used as an adjective to describe the state of
a noun in a sentence.
Omicron is a hydrated virus
Facebook has hidden features for toddler

The word ‘hydrated’ and ‘hidden’ are past participle as adjective that
describe noun ‘virus’ and ‘features’.

b) Participle Phrases
The past participle also often appears in participle phrases. They will
stand as adjectives.
Quarantined for 8 days, Rachelvennya fled to Bali

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Finally inaugurated, the president announced PPKM

level 3

The participle phrase ‘Quarantined for 8 days’ describes

‘Rachelvennya’, and ‘Finally inaugurated’ describe ‘the president”.

c) Perfect Verb Tense

The past participle can also be modified to make the sentence in
perfect tense form. There are 6 perfect verb tenses that use past
participle as a modification of sentence.
1. Present Perfect Tense
The police have arrested a suspected drug abuser in the
Kemang area.

2. Past Perfect Tense

The police had already arrested a suspected drug abuser
in the Kemang area

3. Future Perfect Tense

The police will have arrested a suspected drug abuser in
the Kemang area by the time President arrive

4. Present Perfect Continuous

The police will have been arresting a suspected drug
abuser in the Kemang area since the president started
announcing new case

5. Past Perfect Continuous Tense

The police had been arresting a suspected drug abuser
in the Kemang area for 3 years before the president
announce the new case

6. Future Perfect Continuous Tense

The police will have been arresting a suspected drug
abuser in the Kemang area for 3 years by the time the
president announce the new case

5. Degrees of Comparison
Comparison Degree is a term in English grammar that is used
to show comparisons. What we need to know in comparison degree, we

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emphasize changes from adjectives and adverbs according to the level

of comparison. We can compare two or more circumstances.
There are 3 types of comparisons seen from the level of
comparison.
a. Positive Degree
In the positive degree, the two things being compared are at
the same or comparable level, therefore the sentence
structure/pattern uses as adjective/adverb as.

Aurel's vlog is as interesting as Atta

Tiktok is as famous as instagram

In these sentences, ‘as interesting as’ and ‘as famous as’ are a
form of positive comparison which describes the similarity or
equality.

b. Comparative Degree
In the comparative degree, one of the two things being
compared is 'more' than the other, that's why an
adjective/adverb + -er or more + adjective/adverb is used.

The Omicron type of Covid-19 is more dangerous than

the previous type.
Citizens' quarantine period is shorter than before.

There are two types of formulas in comparative degrees. In the

first sentence, +er is added after the adjective or adverb for a
word that has one syllable, but if it has more than one syllable
then the formula is like the second sentence, more+
adjective/adverb

c. Superlative Degree
Superlative is explaining that the thing being discussed has the
'most' nature among the others, meaning that it can be said that
the Superlative has no equal. The formula is adjective/adverb
+ -est or most + adjective/adverb.

Covid-19 is the biggest pandemic in history

Illegal logging is the most dangerous threat on the earth

There are two types of formulas in superlative degrees. In the

first sentence, +est is added after the adjective or adverb for a

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word that has one syllable, but if it has more than one syllable
then the formula is like the second sentence, most+
adjective/adverb

C. EXERCISES
Exercise 1: complete the sentences with the right participle.

1. Sania watched the teacher…(show) into the class.

2. … (visit) the laboratory before, I will get the best score
3. Jaka heard the police … (shoot) gun
4. … (Arrive) earlier she realized she’d opened the room
5. We must follow that account. It is really … (amaze)
6. She had a … (bore) subject.
7. Spiderman film is very … (interest). We will enjoy it.
8. Yono has been … (wait) for two hours.
9. I can see something … (fly)
10. Kino wasted his money … (buy) the diamonds for his game.

Exercise 2: The sentences below have one or more present participles; you must
identify and underline the word that is classified as a subject and as a verb. Then,
identify whether the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).

C The merchants offering the highest discount will get the most loyal buyers.

Foreign nationals are entering Indonesian territory must quarantine at the

I
hotel

The singers were singing various song at stages throughout the fair.

Instagram is giving the best feature attract the new user.

The last team winning games is awarded the stay vacation.

The debater was trying to express her view was often interrupted politely.

Government is giving vaccine for the whole citizen.

Any students registering graduation ceremony should complete the rules

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The videos were posting in the middle of day received a lot of likes and
comments.

The spices flavouring the Rendang were quite distinctive.

Exercise 3: The sentences below have one or more past participles; you must
identify and underline the word that is classified as a subject and as a verb. Then,
identify whether the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).

I Loans was grated by China were rejected by Indonesia.

C The house rent in Kemang had already ordered.

The film was watched by the Sinta this week will be on next week's movie.

Rendang was cooked in a wood stone for a long time.

The Indonesian economy were controlled by China.

Corruptors were detained in special corruption detention centre.

Satay is burnt the most delicious in this restaurant.

The clothes are displayed in the shop have expensive price.

All residents were asked to work together to clean the park

Savings interest earned on the second week of each month will be combined
the following month

Exercise 4: Complete the sentences below with the appropriate comparison.

Please underline the best answer.

1. Tinder is … than OkCupid (popular, more popular, most popular)

2. Windows is as … as Mac (good, better, best)
3. Android is the … market in mobile phone world (large, larger, largest)
4. Sumatera is the … island in Indonesia (big, bigger, biggest)
5. Omicron is … than previous variety of Covid-19 (dangerous, more
dangerous, most dangerous)

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6. Apple pie is … than burger in McDonald (crispy, crispier, crispiest)

7. IOS operating system is … than android system (fast, faster, fastest)
8. Bali is the island … by foreign tourists (visited, more visited, most visited)
9. Pamulang University is as … as other private universities in Indonesia
(influential, more influential, most influential)
10. TOEFL is the … requirement in the scholarship program (difficult, more
difficult, most difficult)

Exercise 5: analyze the following sentences and identify the underlined word
whether it is correct or incorrect

1. Selebgram who uploads a photo usually has a higher ‘love’ to any

celebrity
A B C D
2. A person who scores well on an exam is not only because he is smarter,
but also because
he studies more hard

3. Sumatera is an island with the most wide lake In Indonesia.

4. The holiday by plane can be much more longer than expected.
5. Vicky’s room is usually more clean than all of student in the class.

Exercise 6: Choose the best answer to complete the sentences below.

1. I can saw someone … in Instagram last night.

a. Post
b. Posting
c. Posted
d. Is posting

2. Do not let her know you … her secret.

a. Listening
b. Was listening
c. Listened
d. Listen

3. Xabiru drank his milk … in the floor.

a. Sit
b. Sat
c. Sitting
d. Was sitting

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4. … scary, she called 911

a. Feels
b. Felling
c. Felled
d. Is felling

D. REFERENCES
Azar, B. S. 2002. Understanding and Using English Grammar. New York:
Pearson Education.
Delahunty, G. P., & Garvey, J. P. 2010. The English Language: From Sound
to Sense. Colorado: The WAC Clearinghouse.
Phillips, D. 2001. Longman Complete Course for the TOEFL Test. New
York: Pearson Education.

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