Identify the verbal in this sentence as infinitive, gerund or participle.
The old woman slept, not realizing she was no longer poor.
I'm not sure if this is a gerund or a participle. "Not realizing" seems to be describing the old woman. I can't see how it could be a gerund since "realizing," in this case, isn't being used as a noun (that's what I think, at least).
Thank you.
If it's describing someone then it's a participle. Your explanations always make sense. Thank you so much!
You're right that "realizing" (with the adverb "not") is the verbal in the sentence. Since it's describing someone, which is it? Gerund or participle?
You're welcome!
Here's a super website for explanations, examples, and maybe just clarifications!
http://www.chompchomp.com/terms.htm
That's exactly what I've been looking for! Thank you!!
YW!!
You're on the right track! In the sentence, "not realizing" is a participle. Participles are verb forms that can function as adjectives. In this case, "realizing" is a present participle that describes the old woman. It modifies or describes her state at the time she was sleeping. It is not a gerund because it is not being used as a noun. Instead, it is functioning as an adjective to provide additional information about the old woman.
To determine whether "not realizing" is a gerund or participle, you can consider its role in the sentence. Gerunds typically function as nouns and can serve as the subject or object of a verb. Participles, on the other hand, act as adjectives, modifying nouns or pronouns. In this case, "not realizing" is describing the old woman, rather than functioning as a noun. Therefore, it is a participle.