A verbal is a verb form that functions as a different part of speech, such as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. There are three types of verbals: gerunds, participles, and infinitives. Here is a brief explanation of each type:
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Gerunds: A gerund is a verbal ending in -ing that functions as a noun. For example, "Cooking is an essential skill" uses "cooking" as a noun.
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Participles: A participle is a verbal that functions as an adjective. There are two types of participles: present participles (ending in -ing) and past participles (usually ending in -ed, -d, -t, -en, or -n). For example, "Walking along the midway at the carnival, we ate our funnel cakes" uses "walking" as a present participle.
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Infinitives: An infinitive is a verbal formed by placing "to" in front of the simple present form of a verb. Infinitives can function as adjectives, adverbs, or nouns. For example, "To win was everything" uses "to win" as a noun.
Verbals are important in writing because they can help make writing more varied and concise and give it better flow.
