5. Cut down, the reed stalks were sliced into thin strips.
5. In this sentence, "down" is an adjective. "Cut down" is the participial phrase. What do you think it modifies?
Does it modify “reed stalks”?
You’re such a great help. I didn’t know that most times the participles end in –ed or –ing. Thank you for helping me with my review, I just have 3 more lessons to go!
You're welcome. Good luck!
This site on various phrases should help you.
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/phrases.htm
Yes, in this sentence, the participial phrase "cut down" modifies "reed stalks." It tells us what happened to the reed stalks - they were cut down. Participial phrases provide additional information about the noun or pronoun they modify.
I'm glad I could help! Participles are indeed formed by adding -ed or -ing to the base form of a verb. They can be used as adjectives or as part of a larger verb phrase. If you have any more questions or need assistance with your remaining lessons, feel free to ask!