Participles Worksheet: Present and Past Participles as Adjectives (Free PDF)

In this set of worksheets and exercises, learners explore how participles are used to describe people, things, and situations. The focus is on participles used as adjectives, helping learners understand how present and past participles modify nouns and express meaning clearly.

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Participles are an essential part of English grammar. There are two main types: present participles (ending in -ing) and past participles (often ending in -ed or using irregular forms). When used as adjectives, participles describe nouns and give more detail about their state or action.

1. Fill in the blanks with the correct participle from the box.

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Answer Key:

1. She was amazed by the magician’s trick.
2. The broken vase fell off the table and shattered.
3. The movie was so exciting that I stayed awake the whole night.
4. After a long day at work, I felt tired and needed a break.
5. I felt disappointed when I didn’t get the job.
6. The plot of the story was so confusing that I couldn’t follow it.
7. He felt tired after the long hike in the mountains.
8. The written letter was sent to all the employees.
9. The new app has an interesting design.
10. He was surprised by the book’s ending.

2. Fill in the blanks with the correct participle from the box.

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Answer Key:

1. The falling leaves created a beautiful scene in the park.
2. She was excited about her new job offer.
3. The swimming fish darted through the water.
4. The book that had been read was placed on the shelf.
5. I found a lost wallet on the ground.
6. The laughing children were playing in the garden.
7. He was shocked by the news.
8. The burnt toast tasted awful.
9. The completed homework was handed in on time.
10. The tired runner sat down to rest.
11. The shining sun made it a perfect day.
12. The broken vase was placed on the shelf.

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Participles Exercises

Participles Exercise 1: Identify the participle in the sentence

Instructions: Identify the participle in each sentence.

1. The barking dog woke me up.
2. She was surprised by the gift.
3. I noticed the broken vase on the table.
4. The falling leaves covered the ground.
5. The written report was submitted on time.
6. The running water made a soothing sound.
7. He was interested in the results.
8. The glowing light illuminated the room.
9. We saw the flying birds in the sky.
10. The finished project looked perfect.

Answer Key:

1. barking
2. surprised
3. broken
4. falling
5. written
6. running
7. interested
8. glowing
9. flying
10. finished

Participles Exercise 2: Correct the mistakes in the sentences

Instructions: Each sentence contains a mistake in the use of participles. Correct the mistake.

1. The movie was really bored and too long.
2. The movie was really interested.
3. The children were playing in the excited park.
4. I have a broking heart after the argument.
5. We were tired but felt motivating.
6. He tells many great stories; he is an interested teacher.
7. The students, exciting about the trip, waited for the bus.
8. She completed the tired race.
9. He was disappointing by the results.
10. The restaurant had a disappointed atmosphere.

Answer Key:

1. The movie was really boring and too long.
2. The movie was really interesting.
3. The children were playing in the exciting park.
4. I have a broken heart after the argument.
5. We were tired but felt motivated.
6. He tells many great stories; he is an interesting teacher.
7. The students, excited about the trip, waited for the bus.
8. She completed the tiring race.
9. He was disappointed by the results.
10. The restaurant had a disappointing atmosphere.

Participles Exercise 3: Fill in the blanks with the correct participle

Instructions: Complete each sentence using the correct present or past participle.

1. The __________ (run) dog caught my attention.
2. She was __________ (amaze) by the news.
3. The __________ (fall) leaves created a beautiful scene.
4. The __________ (work) man looked exhausted after a long day.
5. We walked through the __________ (crowd) streets.
6. The __________ (write) letter was handed to the manager.
7. I saw the __________ (swim) fish in the aquarium.
8. The __________ (bake) bread smelled delicious.
9. The __________ (excite) lesson kept the students engaged.
10. The __________ (break) glass was lying on the floor.

Answer Key:

1. running
2. amazed
3. falling
4. working
5. crowded
6. written
7. swimming
8. baked
9. exciting
10. broken