A participle is a verb form that can function as an adjective, describing a noun or pronoun. There are two main types of participles: present participles, which end in -ing (e.g., running), and past participles, which often end in -ed, -en, or other variations (e.g., broken). Participles help add detail and context to sentences. In addition to their adjectival use, participles can also be part of verb tenses. For example, in the phrase "has eaten," eaten is the past participle of the verb eat. This shows that the action was completed in the past but is relevant to the present.