What is a characteristic of a participial phrase in regard to its construction?

• A. Must always contain a subject and a verb
• B. Must begin with a conjunction
• C. Must include an object and/or modifiers
• D. Must appear at the beginning of every sentence

Answer: (C)

A participial phrase is constructed around a participle, which is a verb form that functions as an adjective to modify a noun or pronoun. For a participial phrase to be complete, it typically includes the participle itself, along with any objects, modifiers, or complements necessary to provide additional detail or meaning to the phrase. This characteristic allows the participial phrase to enrich the description in a sentence, creating more detailed imagery or information about the subject.

For example, in the phrase "singing loudly," "singing" is the participle, and it can be expanded to "singing loudly at the concert," turning it into a participial phrase that provides more context. The inclusion of objects and modifiers is essential in creating a complete thought within the phrase, as it clarifies what or who the participle describes.

In doing so, this construction characteristic aligns with the intended function of participial phrases to offer additional information about a noun or pronoun in a sentence.