Exhausted from the hike modifies the subject Jim 4. Grinning sheepishly modifies the subject boy 5. A participle is used as an adjective and ends in various ways. A present participle always ends with ing as does the gerund, but remember that it is an adjective. A past participle ends with ed, n, or irregularly.
Participles modify nouns and pronouns and can precede or follow the word modified.
A participial phrase that comes at the beginning of the sentence is always followed by a comma and modifies the subject of the sentence. Find the participial phrases in these sentences and tell what word they modify. The man running slowly still finished the race. The boy having been scolded finally did his work. The teacher, having retired, could now travel widely.