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Quizzes > English & Grammar

Verbals Practice Test: Gerunds, Participles, and Infinitives

Quick, free verbals test with instant results and clear explanations.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Deni Abdillah. MUpdated Aug 24, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration for a verbals practice test on a sky blue background

This quiz helps you spot and use verbals - gerunds, participles, and infinitives - in real sentences. Check your understanding with instant feedback, then keep going with a gerunds and infinitives quiz, try to identify the gerund in sentences, or focus on forms with a past participle quiz.

Which word in the following sentence is a gerund? "Running is fun."
is
None of the above
fun
Running
The word "Running" ends in -ing and functions as a noun in the sentence, which defines it as a gerund. Gerunds are verbals formed from verbs but act as nouns. They often serve as subjects, objects, or complements.
In the sentence "To swim is my favorite activity," what type of verbal is "To swim"?
Infinitive
None of the above
Participle
Gerund
The phrase "To swim" uses the base form of the verb with "to" and functions as a noun, which is the hallmark of an infinitive. Infinitives often act as subjects or objects in sentences. They can also express purpose or intention.
Which word in the sentence "The crying baby kept us awake." is a participle?
us
baby
crying
awake
The word "crying" ends in -ing and modifies the noun "baby," so it functions as an adjective and is a present participle. Participles look like verbs but act as adjectives. They can be present (-ing) or past (often -ed or irregular).
Identify the sentence that contains a gerund phrase.
To run in the park is good exercise.
Runs in the park every morning.
Run in the park daily.
Running in the park is good exercise.
The phrase "Running in the park" ends in -ing and functions as the subject of the sentence, making it a gerund phrase. Gerund phrases act as nouns, often as subjects or objects. Infinitive phrases start with "to + verb" instead.
In "His favorite hobby is reading books.", what is the function of "reading books"?
Present participle
Past participle phrase
Gerund phrase as subject complement
Infinitive phrase
The phrase "reading books" acts as a noun completing the linking verb "is," so it is a gerund phrase functioning as a subject complement. Gerund phrases can serve as subjects or complements in sentences.
Which sentence uses a past participle as an adjective?
The baked cookies smelled delicious.
To bake cookies, preheat the oven.
Baking cookies is fun.
She will bake cookies tomorrow.
The word "baked" is the past participle of "bake" and modifies the noun "cookies," functioning as an adjective. Past participles often end in -ed or are irregular and describe nouns.
Which sentence contains an infinitive used as an adverb?
I went to the store to buy milk.
His dream is to travel the world.
Reading is relaxing.
The broken window let in cold air.
The phrase "to buy milk" explains why the subject went to the store, modifying the verb "went," so it functions adverbially to express purpose. Infinitives can serve as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.
Select the sentence that correctly begins with a gerund phrase.
To swim daily is her routine.
Swim daily is her routine.
Swimming daily is her routine.
She swims daily as her routine.
The phrase "Swimming daily" uses the -ing form of the verb as a noun subject, forming a gerund phrase that correctly begins the sentence. Gerund phrases must act as nouns.
Identify and classify the verbal phrase in: "Exhausted by the hike, the hikers rested under a tree."
Past participle phrase
Present participle phrase
Gerund phrase
Infinitive phrase
The phrase "Exhausted by the hike" uses the past participle "exhausted" to modify "the hikers," functioning as an adjective phrase. Past participle phrases often describe a state resulting from an action.
In the sentence "He is afraid of flying.", what type of verbal is "flying"?
Participle adjective
Infinitive
Present participle
Gerund
Here, "flying" functions as a noun - the object of the preposition "of" - so it is a gerund. Gerunds end in -ing and act as nouns in sentences.
What function does the infinitive phrase play in "To be honest, I don't like surprises."?
Adjective modifier
Noun subject
Nominal direct object
Adverbial expression
The phrase "To be honest" modifies the entire clause to express the speaker's stance, functioning adverbially. Infinitive phrases at the beginning of sentences often serve to qualify or comment on the statement.
Compare "reading" in the two sentences: "Reading books is fun." and "I saw him reading books." What is the difference?
First is participle, second is gerund
Both are participles
Both are gerunds
First is gerund, second is participle
In the first sentence, "reading" functions as the subject and acts as a noun, so it is a gerund. In the second, it modifies "him," acting as an adjective, so it is a present participle.
In "She expected to arrive early.", who is the understood subject of the infinitive "to arrive"?
No implied subject
She
You
It
When an infinitive lacks its own stated subject, it is assumed to share the subject of the main clause. Here, "she" is the understood subject of "to arrive."
Identify and correct the dangling participle: "Walking down the street, the flowers smelled sweet."
The sentence is correct as is.
Remove 'down the street' to fix the issue.
The participle 'Walking down the street' is dangling; revise to 'While I was walking down the street, the flowers smelled sweet.'
Change 'Walking' to 'Walked' to fix the issue.
A participle phrase must clearly attach to the noun it modifies. Here, the phrase incorrectly modifies "flowers." Adding "I" clarifies the true subject performing the action, eliminating the dangling participle.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify Types of Verbals -

    Pinpoint gerunds, infinitives, and participles in sentences to build a solid understanding of what verbals are in grammar.

  2. Differentiate Verbal Functions -

    Distinguish how each type of verbal operates - whether as a noun, adjective, or adverb - to master types of verbals.

  3. Analyze Verbals in Context -

    Examine sample sentences to see verbals at work and recognize their specific roles within complex structures.

  4. Apply Verbals in Your Writing -

    Use verbals accurately in your own sentences, reinforcing your skills through practical verbals practice.

  5. Evaluate and Correct Usage -

    Detect common errors in verbal usage and learn strategies to revise sentences for clarity and grammatical precision.

  6. Strengthen Grammar Confidence -

    Receive instant feedback from the quiz results to boost your writing confidence and master verbals practice test challenges.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Defining Verbals and the GIP Mnemonic -

    Verbals are non-finite verb forms that act as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs in a sentence, answering the question "what are verbals in grammar." Remember the GIP mnemonic - Gerunds, Infinitives, and Participles - to recall all three main types of verbals when you take a verbals practice test. University linguistics courses (e.g., MIT OpenCourseWare) often start here to build a solid foundation.

  2. Gerunds as Nouns -

    A gerund is a verbal ending in - ing that functions as a noun; for instance, "Swimming is fun" uses a gerund as the subject. In your practice with verbals, test by substituting the gerund with a pronoun (e.g., "it") - if it still makes sense, you have a noun. Sources like Purdue OWL highlight this key test in their grammar verbals sections.

  3. Infinitives in Multiple Roles -

    An infinitive is the "to" + base form of a verb and can serve as a noun ("To write is therapy"), adjective ("a book to read"), or adverb ("He paused to think"). When you review for a verbals practice test, categorize each infinitive by asking "Why?" or "Which one?" to identify its function. Cambridge Grammar of the English Language provides detailed role breakdowns that align with this approach.

  4. Present vs. Past Participles -

    Participles are used as adjectives: present participles end in - ing ("the rising sun"), while past participles often end in - ed or - en ("the broken vase"). In a types of verbals quiz, look for these endings modifying nouns to spot participles. The University of Chicago's grammar guide offers clear charts contrasting participle forms and uses.

  5. Distinguishing Verbals from Verbs -

    A common trap in grammar verbals is confusing gerunds or participles with main verbs; for example, "Running water" is a participle phrase, while "Water is running" uses a main verb. To practice with verbals, try removing the verbal phrase - if the core sentence still stands, you've identified a verbal correctly. Harvard Writing Center exercises often employ this removal strategy in verbals practice.

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