In the sentence 'The running dog chased the ball,' the word 'running' functions as a

In the sentence 'The running dog chased the ball,' the word 'running' functions as a

• A. Clause
• B. Infinitive
• C. Participle
• D. Gerund

Answer: (C)

The word running is a present participle used as a descriptive modifier for the noun dog. It tells what kind of dog it is—one that is in the act of running. This differs from a gerund, which would function as a noun (as in Running is fun). It also isn’t a clause or an infinitive, since it doesn’t form a verb phrase with its own subject or use to + verb. Here, the -ing form simply describes the dog, so it’s a participle functioning as an adjective.

The word running is a present participle used as a descriptive modifier for the noun dog. It tells what kind of dog it is—one that is in the act of running. This differs from a gerund, which would function as a noun (as in Running is fun). It also isn’t a clause or an infinitive, since it doesn’t form a verb phrase with its own subject or use to + verb. Here, the -ing form simply describes the dog, so it’s a participle functioning as an adjective.