Which of the following describes a participle verbal?

A participle verbal specifically functions as an adjective, which means it describes or modifies a noun. This can involve either present participles, which often end in "-ing," or past participles, which typically end in "-ed," "-d," or other past tense forms. For instance, in the phrase "the running water," "running" is a present participle that describes the noun "water." Likewise, in "the eaten pizza," "eaten" is a past participle providing information about the noun "pizza."

The identification of a participle as a form used correctly in this context emphasizes its role in adjective phrases, enhancing the sentence's meaning by adding descriptive qualities. This use distinguishes participles from gerunds, which also end in "-ing" but function as nouns. Other verbals, like infinitives that start with "to," serve different syntactical purposes and are not classified as participles. This clarifies why the statement pertaining to participle verbals focusing on adjective functionality is the most accurate description.