What is the effect of the participial phrase in the following sentence? the ship mast, shrieking under the strain, slowly toppled over.

A participial phrase is a phrase that looks like a verb, but actually functions as an adjective; it modifies a noun in the same sentence. Phrases like this can “spice up” a noun and provide added description about what it’s doing or what it looks like. They’re often used in pieces that need to tell readers a lot in a few words, like newspaper articles or even fiction books.

Explanation:

a, b, and c are all correct.

i go to the store and buy some cheese,suddenly there was akward silence.   out of no where comes a ninja, and he takes an apple, and chokes the cashier, until he passes out.   the disapeared in a puff of smoke.   the cashier went to the doctor, and everything was fine again.   they all lived happily ever after without anymore ninjas.

the end

go to buy cheese= exposition

akaward silence= rising action

ninja chokes the cashier= climax

cashier goes to the doctor= falling action

they live happily ever after= resolution