BBG Chapter 27 — Participle Use Classification Drill

BBG Chapter 27 · Adverbial / Adjectival / Substantival Classification

Instructions: For each item, (1) classify the participle use as ADV (adverbial), ADJ (adjectival), or SUB (substantival), (2) identify the key signal that determines the classification, and (3) provide an English translation of the phrase. Click ▶ Answer to reveal the answer for that row.
#Greek PhraseUse (ADV/ADJ/SUB)Key SignalTranslation
1 ἀκούων ταῦτα ἐξῆλθεν
ADV · anarthrous, nom., modifies main verb action · Hearing these things, he went out
2 ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτόν
SUB · articular (ὁ), no antecedent noun · The one who believes in him
3 ὁ λόγος ὁ λαλούμενος
ADJ · articular, modifies λόγος · The word that was spoken
4 βλέπων τοὺς ὄχλους ἐσπλαγχνίσθη
ADV · anarthrous, nom., temporal · Seeing the crowds, he had compassion
5 οἱ πιστεύοντες σῴζονται
SUB · articular (οἱ), no antecedent noun · Those who believe are being saved
6 εἶδεν τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς τοὺς ἐρχομένους
ADJ · articular, agrees with ἀδελφούς · He saw the brothers, the ones coming
7 πορευόμενος εἶπεν αὐτοῖς
ADV · anarthrous, nom., modal / temporal · While going, he said to them
8 ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν θεόν
SUB · articular (ὁ), standalone phrase · The one who loves God
9 ἀνὴρ ὁ πιστεύων
ADJ · articular, agrees with ἀνήρ · A man who believes / a believing man
10 ἀπεκρίθη λέγων
ADV · anarthrous, modal (manner) · He answered, saying
11 τοὺς ἔχοντας νόσους
SUB · articular (τοὺς), no antecedent noun · Those who had diseases
12 γυνὴ ἡ ἀσθενοῦσα
ADJ · articular, agrees with γυνή · A woman who was sick / a sick woman
13 ἀκούσαντες δὲ ἐχάρησαν
ADV · anarthrous, nom., temporal (aorist = antecedent action) · When / after they heard, they rejoiced
14 οἱ ζητοῦντες τὴν ψυχήν
SUB · articular (οἱ), standalone · Those who are seeking his life
15 λόγον τὸν ῥηθέντα
ADJ · articular, agrees with λόγον · The word that was spoken
16 ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἀπῆλθεν
ADV · anarthrous, nom., temporal (aorist ptc.) · Having said these things, he departed
17 τὸ γεγεννημένον
SUB · articular neuter, no antecedent · That which has been born
18 διδάσκων ἐν τῇ συναγωγῇ
ADV · anarthrous, nom., circumstantial · While teaching in the synagogue
19 πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων
SUB · articular (ὁ) with πᾶς · Everyone who believes
20 ἡ γυνὴ ἡ λεγομένη
ADJ · articular, agrees with γυνή · The woman called / the woman who is called

Discussion Questions

  1. What is the single most reliable formal signal that distinguishes a substantival participle from an adjectival participle? Give two examples from the exercise where you needed context (not just the article) to make the call.
  2. Items 13 and 16 are aorist adverbial participles. Contrast their temporal relationship to the main verb with items 1, 4, 7, and 10 (present adverbial participles). What rule governs the time relationship of a Greek participle to its main verb?
  3. Items 8 and 9 both feature ὁ + participle, yet #8 is substantival and #9 is adjectival. Explain the difference. Then rewrite item 9 in a way that would make the participle clearly substantival rather than adjectival.