Verbals are words that are formed from verbs but function as different parts of speech in a sentence. There are three main types of verbals: gerunds, participles, and infinitives. A gerund ends in -ing and acts like a noun, while a participle can be present or past and functions as an adjective. An infinitive is the base form of a verb, often preceded by "to," and can act as a noun, adjective, or adverb. For example, in the sentence "Swimming is fun," "swimming" is a gerund acting as the subject. In "The broken vase lay on the floor," "broken" is a past participle describing the vase. Lastly, in "I want to eat," "to eat" is an infinitive acting as the object of the verb "want." Understanding verbals helps clarify sentence structure and meaning.