Grammar Question

[trafal]

Hi,

 

I have a grammar question. My daughter's lesson this week is about verbals specifically gerunds and participles. This sentence really has us confused. Please take a look and help us diagram this sentence. We would really appreciate your input.

 

Leland's most rewarding pursuit is chasing sprites fleeing through the wetlands.

 

pursuit l is chasing l sprites (subject l verb l direct object

 

Leland's adjective

most adjective all 3 words are modifying pursuit

rewarding participle

 

through prepostion

the adjective

wetlands noun/ object of the preposition

 

What the heck is fleeing? Is it a participle describing sprites? Is it a verb? I don't think it is a gerund but I'm so confused!

 

Thanks,

 

Trafal

[Lucy the Valiant]

Leland's most rewarding pursuit is chasing sprites fleeing through the wetlands.

 

Leland's (adjective modifying pursuit)

most (adverb modifying rewarding)

rewarding (participle-adjective modifying pursuit)

pursuit (noun functioning as subject)

 

is (linking verb)

 

chasing (gerund functioning as predicate nominative)

sprites (retained object belonging to "chasing")

 

fleeing (participle adjective describing sprites)

through the woodlands (prepositional phrase [through = preposition, woodlands = object of preposition] functioning as adverb describing fleeing)

[Lucy the Valiant]

A helpful word-picture for verbals is the "PIG" . . . I'll see if I can make it in text form here.

 

Participles------> always function as adjectives

 

Infinitives--------> can function as adjectives, adverbs, or nouns (in a drawing, I would draw 3 arrows for inifinitives, but can't do it in text form)

 

Gerunds--------> always function as nouns

[trafal]

Thanks! Katie, your answer was very helpful.

 

Trafal

[Lucy the Valiant]

It's embarrassing how dearly I love parsing sentences.

 

(Why couldn't I have inherited a USEFUL skill? Like computer programming?)