A participial phrase acts like an adjective: it describes a noun or pronoun. On SAT grammar questions, check that the phrase attaches to the right word and that the sentence still has a complete main clause. That two-part check catches dangling modifiers and the "participle instead of main verb" trap.
You can practice both checks in our Digital SAT question banks, sorted by test date.
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Video: The -ing Opener. From the Mr. O series Modifiers: Making a Description Point at the Right Word.
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Question banks: June 2026 English question bank (free) | October 2026 English question bank
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College Board places sentence structure, usage, and punctuation in the SAT's Standard English Conventions domain. Its framework names the two skills behind this page: Subject-Modifier Placement, where "Students will place modifying elements in sentences (e.g., participles) in contextually appropriate ways," and Verb Finiteness, where "Students will use verbs and verbals (i.e., gerunds, participles, infinitives) in contextually appropriate ways" (Assessment Framework for the Digital SAT Suite, Appendix B). It gives no fixed count of participial-phrase questions, so learn the sentence logic rather than expecting a set number. See the official Reading and Writing overview and TTA's SAT Reading and Writing domain guide.
What is a participial phrase?
A participle is a verb form used as an adjective. A participial phrase contains that participle plus its objects or modifiers. Present participles end in -ing. Past participles have several forms, including -ed, -en, and irregular forms such as known or built. A perfect participle uses having plus a past participle, as in having finished.
| Check | Question to ask | What can go wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Attachment | Which noun or pronoun does the phrase describe? | The phrase dangles or appears beside the wrong noun. |
| Main clause | After setting the phrase aside, is there a subject and a finite verb? | An -ing or having + participle form is mistaken for the main verb. |
| Punctuation | Is the phrase introductory, essential, or extra information? | A needed comma is missing, or an essential phrase is cut off with commas. |
12 participial phrase examples with answers
For each sentence, find the phrase and the word it describes. Ten are correct. Two are broken, and the last column shows the fix.
| # | Sentence | Participial phrase | Word it describes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smiling at the crowd, the singer waved. | Smiling at the crowd | singer |
| 2 | The bread baked this morning is still warm. | baked this morning | bread |
| 3 | Tired from the long hike, the campers fell asleep early. | Tired from the long hike | campers |
| 4 | Having finished the test early, Priya checked every answer. | Having finished the test early | Priya |
| 5 | The boy holding the red balloon is my cousin. | holding the red balloon | boy |
| 6 | Built in 1850, the lighthouse still guides ships at night. | Built in 1850 | lighthouse |
| 7 | The students waiting outside the gym grew restless. | waiting outside the gym | students |
| 8 | Frightened by the thunder, the kitten hid under the bed. | Frightened by the thunder | kitten |
| 9 | Stolen from a museum in 1990, the painting turned up in a garage. | Stolen from a museum in 1990 | painting |
| 10 | The map, drawn by hand in 1802, hangs in the town library. | drawn by hand in 1802 | map |
| 11 | Running down the hall, my backpack fell off my shoulder. | Running down the hall | Broken: the backpack is not running. Fix: Running down the hall, I felt my backpack slip off my shoulder. |
| 12 | Hoping to win the science fair, the poster was made by Ana. | Hoping to win the science fair | Broken: a poster cannot hope. Fix: Hoping to win the science fair, Ana made a poster. |
Sentences 10 and 2 show that a participial phrase can follow its noun, too. Position in the sentence does not matter. Touching the right noun does.
Fix 1: attach an introductory phrase to its actor
Having trained for six years in Lyon, ______
- the restaurant's menu reflects the chef's French skills.
- Chef Amaka Obi opened a small bistro in her hometown.
- a small bistro was opened by Chef Amaka Obi in her hometown.
- the training shows in every dish at Chef Amaka Obi's bistro.
Answer: B. Who trained for six years? The chef. Choice B puts Chef Amaka Obi right after the comma, and the main clause has its own finite verb, opened. Choice A starts with a menu, choice C with a bistro, and choice D with "the training." None of those trained in Lyon.
Fix 2: do not replace the main verb with a participle
Both farmers and shoppers ______ the night market every Friday, sampling everything from grilled corn to fresh mango juice.
- crowding
- crowd
- to crowd
- having crowded
Answer: B. The subject is Both farmers and shoppers, so the clause needs the finite verb crowd. The later phrase sampling everything from grilled corn to fresh mango juice is already a participial phrase. Choices A and D leave the sentence without a main verb, and choice C gives an infinitive, which cannot be the main verb either.
The fastest test here: cover the describing phrase and read the core. "Both farmers and shoppers crowd the night market every Friday" is complete. For more on this, read Participial Phrases and the Double-Verb Trap.
Video: The -ed Opener. From the Mr. O series Modifiers: Making a Description Point at the Right Word.
Fix 3: punctuate a nonessential participial phrase
Photographer Lina Haddad's series Harbor Light shows dockworkers at dawn. ______ described the port as "the city's first alarm clock," captures that early hour in soft blue tones.
- Haddad has
- Haddad, having
- Haddad, has
- Haddad
Answer: B. The core of the sentence is Haddad captures that early hour. The words having described the port as "the city's first alarm clock" add extra information about Haddad, so commas set them off. Choice A gives the sentence two finite verbs, has described and captures, with nothing to join them. Choice C keeps that problem and also puts a comma between the subject and its verb. Choice D makes described a finite verb, so the same two-verb problem returns.
If punctuation is the part slowing you down, use the related SAT comma rule for introductory phrases. For the placement rule on its own, see where a participial phrase goes, and for the full set of modifier traps, see SAT modifier questions.
A four-step SAT method
- Find the sentence core. Identify the subject and the finite verb that carries tense.
- Bracket the describing phrase. Treat the participial phrase as removable detail while you check the core.
- Trace the modifier. Ask which noun or pronoun the phrase describes, and put that word next to the phrase.
- Check punctuation in context. An introductory phrase takes a comma. A nonessential phrase in the middle takes a comma on each side. An essential phrase stays unpunctuated, even when it contains a participle.
Do not pick an answer because it is shortest. Prefer the most concise choice only after it passes attachment, completeness, meaning, and punctuation.
Practice the verb-versus-participle decision
The free Verbs: Agreement, Tense and Form lesson notes cover finding the true subject and telling a finite verb from a participle that only looks like one. The notes need a free account. The June 2026 English question bank is free to open, and you can create a free account to take one full-length adaptive practice test free. To review every rule in one place, use the SAT grammar rules cheat sheet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a participial phrase modify?
It works as an adjective, so it modifies a noun or pronoun. That word must be able to do the action or hold the state the phrase describes.
How do I spot a dangling modifier?
Find the opening describing phrase, then look at the noun or pronoun right after it. If that word cannot do the action or hold the state, the modifier is dangling or misplaced.
Is every word ending in -ing a participle?
No. An -ing form can do several jobs. Decide from its job in the sentence: an adjective-like use is a participle, a noun-like use is a gerund, and a progressive verb works with a helping verb such as is or was.
Does every participial phrase need commas?
No. An introductory phrase takes a comma, and a nonessential phrase is set off with commas. An essential phrase that tells you which noun is meant takes no commas.