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participles as adjectives
46
I am confused as to when I can use participles as adjectives. Let me give you an
example. I can say: I saw a barking dog. Here the present participle barking is used
as an adjective. But I can't say: I saw a barked dog, using the past participle as an
adjective. Why not? Thanks.
barking dogs [ yes ] barked dogs [ no ]
There are not very many adjectives formed from verb participles, Tutul, that can be
used in both -ed and -ing forms.
You can often get a sense of what works and what doesn't by transforming the
participial adjective into a participial clause.
If it doesn't make sense as a participle in a clause, it is unlikely to make sense as a
participle adjective. Consider the following:
The barking dogs kept me awake all night.
The dogs that were barking kept me awake all night.
The barked dogs kept me awake all night.
The dogs that had been barked kept me awake all night.
Barking works in the first pair of examples because -ing forms when used as
adjectives have similar meanings to active verbs.
Barked doesn't work in the second pair of examples because most past participles
have passive meanings when they are used as adjectives. Dogs can be washed,
dried, combed, brushed, fed and walked, but they can't be barked. That is something
they do themselves.
abandoning child [ no ] abandoned child [ yes ]
Abandon (meaning to leave someone when you should stay with them) is commonly
used in passive structures. For this reason, abandoned works as an adjective, but
abandoning does not. Compare the following:
The abandoned child cried for three days without stopping.
The child that had been abandoned cried for three days.
The abandoning child was so unhappy she cried for three days.
The child which was abandoning was so upset she cried for three days.
Abandoning doesn't work because children cannot abandon themselves, though the
unfortunate ones are sometimes abandoned by their parents.
There are a few participial adjectives that can be used in both -ing and -ed forms,
but note the differences in meaning, depending on active or passive use in these
examples below.
47
broken hearts [ yes ] breaking waves [ yes ]
She is suffering from a broken heart
Her heart has been broken by his cruel behaviour.
The breaking waves pushed the surfboard further out to sea.
Huge waves breaking on the beach pushed the surtboard out to sea.
alarmed houses [ yes ] alarming reports [ yes ]
Alarmed houses afford some protection against burglary.
Houses which are alarmed afford some protection against burglary.
Alarming reports are coming in that refugees are being racially abused.
Reports are coming in that refugees are being racially abused. This alarms me.
A small number of verbs have past participles that can be used as adjectives
before nouns with active meanings. Note with these examples there may not be so
much change in meaning between the -ing and -ed forms:
falling/fallen [ yes ] advanced/advancing [ yes ] developing/developed
[ yes ]
The falling leaves covered the path and made it quite slippery.
The leaves that were falling covered the path and made it slippery.
The fallen trees blocked the road and only pedestrians could get through.
The trees that had fallen blocked the road and made it quite impassable.
When we think of countries that are still developing and countries that have
developed, it is true to say that:
a) developing countries need as much help as they can get.
b) it is the developed nations which should provide it.
This class is appropriate only for advanced students.
It is suitable for students who have advanced beyond level five.
The advancing army surrounded the city and cut off all its supply lines.
The army, which was advancing rapidly, had cut off the city by nightfall.
48
Ed and -ing as adjectives:
Patrizia Rapali from Italy writes:
I'm Italian but I'm working in Ireland now.
It sounds as if they say I'm finished or Are you finished? to state or to ask if you
have concluded your work.
Why do they use to be instead of to have?
Shouldn't they say: I've finished and Have you finished?? I don't understand.
Thank you for your answer.
The confusion arises because finished operates both as an adjective and as the
past tense and past participle of the verb to finish.
So if your colleagues say 'We're finished for today', they are using it as an
adjective.
If they say 'We've finished work for today', they are using it as the past participle
of the verb to finish. (This would be more normal in standard English).
-ed as an adjective
When we use it as an adjective, we can talk about things being finished as well
as people being finished with something:
" Their marriage is finished. It was a disaster from the beginning, so it's good
it's over.
" She's not ready to leave. She won't be finished for at least another hour
and a half.
" Sheila wasn't finished with Paul yet. They still had a lot to talk about.
There are, of course, a wide range of adjectives ending in -ed which follow the verb
to be and other linking verbs such as seem, appear, look and become. Here are a
few of the most common:
" I became interested in the tennis as soon as I heard that ticket prices
would be reduced.
" I was bored with the performance and decided to leave as soon as the
interval arrived.
" She seemed surprised - even amazed - to see me. She thought I was in the
States.
" They were quite satisfied with the arrangement. Sharing the cost suited
them both.
" Ned was frightened of Lucie. He was also worried that they might be late
back.
Note that all of these adjectives ending in -ed describe people's feelings, mental
states or emotional reactions to something. There are many more. Check those
49
you don't know in a dictionary to see how they are used and which prepositions
they can be used with:
amused, appalled, confused, delighted, disappointed, excited, pleased, puzzled,
shocked, tired, concerned, convinced, determined, prepared, thrilled
-ing as an adjective
There are also a large number of adjectives ending in -ing which relate to verb
forms and are used in the same way as -ed adjectives.
Note that these adjectives usually describe things rather than people directly,
although they also describe the effect that something has on your ideas and
feelings:
" The meeting was very satisfying for all concerned as everybody got what
they wanted.
" The play was quite interesting and commented on many aspects of
contemporary life.
" These results, Tom, are disappointing and must be very worrying for your
parents. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl karpacz24.htw.pl
we're really pressed.
participles as adjectives
46
I am confused as to when I can use participles as adjectives. Let me give you an
example. I can say: I saw a barking dog. Here the present participle barking is used
as an adjective. But I can't say: I saw a barked dog, using the past participle as an
adjective. Why not? Thanks.
barking dogs [ yes ] barked dogs [ no ]
There are not very many adjectives formed from verb participles, Tutul, that can be
used in both -ed and -ing forms.
You can often get a sense of what works and what doesn't by transforming the
participial adjective into a participial clause.
If it doesn't make sense as a participle in a clause, it is unlikely to make sense as a
participle adjective. Consider the following:
The barking dogs kept me awake all night.
The dogs that were barking kept me awake all night.
The barked dogs kept me awake all night.
The dogs that had been barked kept me awake all night.
Barking works in the first pair of examples because -ing forms when used as
adjectives have similar meanings to active verbs.
Barked doesn't work in the second pair of examples because most past participles
have passive meanings when they are used as adjectives. Dogs can be washed,
dried, combed, brushed, fed and walked, but they can't be barked. That is something
they do themselves.
abandoning child [ no ] abandoned child [ yes ]
Abandon (meaning to leave someone when you should stay with them) is commonly
used in passive structures. For this reason, abandoned works as an adjective, but
abandoning does not. Compare the following:
The abandoned child cried for three days without stopping.
The child that had been abandoned cried for three days.
The abandoning child was so unhappy she cried for three days.
The child which was abandoning was so upset she cried for three days.
Abandoning doesn't work because children cannot abandon themselves, though the
unfortunate ones are sometimes abandoned by their parents.
There are a few participial adjectives that can be used in both -ing and -ed forms,
but note the differences in meaning, depending on active or passive use in these
examples below.
47
broken hearts [ yes ] breaking waves [ yes ]
She is suffering from a broken heart
Her heart has been broken by his cruel behaviour.
The breaking waves pushed the surfboard further out to sea.
Huge waves breaking on the beach pushed the surtboard out to sea.
alarmed houses [ yes ] alarming reports [ yes ]
Alarmed houses afford some protection against burglary.
Houses which are alarmed afford some protection against burglary.
Alarming reports are coming in that refugees are being racially abused.
Reports are coming in that refugees are being racially abused. This alarms me.
A small number of verbs have past participles that can be used as adjectives
before nouns with active meanings. Note with these examples there may not be so
much change in meaning between the -ing and -ed forms:
falling/fallen [ yes ] advanced/advancing [ yes ] developing/developed
[ yes ]
The falling leaves covered the path and made it quite slippery.
The leaves that were falling covered the path and made it slippery.
The fallen trees blocked the road and only pedestrians could get through.
The trees that had fallen blocked the road and made it quite impassable.
When we think of countries that are still developing and countries that have
developed, it is true to say that:
a) developing countries need as much help as they can get.
b) it is the developed nations which should provide it.
This class is appropriate only for advanced students.
It is suitable for students who have advanced beyond level five.
The advancing army surrounded the city and cut off all its supply lines.
The army, which was advancing rapidly, had cut off the city by nightfall.
48
Ed and -ing as adjectives:
Patrizia Rapali from Italy writes:
I'm Italian but I'm working in Ireland now.
It sounds as if they say I'm finished or Are you finished? to state or to ask if you
have concluded your work.
Why do they use to be instead of to have?
Shouldn't they say: I've finished and Have you finished?? I don't understand.
Thank you for your answer.
The confusion arises because finished operates both as an adjective and as the
past tense and past participle of the verb to finish.
So if your colleagues say 'We're finished for today', they are using it as an
adjective.
If they say 'We've finished work for today', they are using it as the past participle
of the verb to finish. (This would be more normal in standard English).
-ed as an adjective
When we use it as an adjective, we can talk about things being finished as well
as people being finished with something:
" Their marriage is finished. It was a disaster from the beginning, so it's good
it's over.
" She's not ready to leave. She won't be finished for at least another hour
and a half.
" Sheila wasn't finished with Paul yet. They still had a lot to talk about.
There are, of course, a wide range of adjectives ending in -ed which follow the verb
to be and other linking verbs such as seem, appear, look and become. Here are a
few of the most common:
" I became interested in the tennis as soon as I heard that ticket prices
would be reduced.
" I was bored with the performance and decided to leave as soon as the
interval arrived.
" She seemed surprised - even amazed - to see me. She thought I was in the
States.
" They were quite satisfied with the arrangement. Sharing the cost suited
them both.
" Ned was frightened of Lucie. He was also worried that they might be late
back.
Note that all of these adjectives ending in -ed describe people's feelings, mental
states or emotional reactions to something. There are many more. Check those
49
you don't know in a dictionary to see how they are used and which prepositions
they can be used with:
amused, appalled, confused, delighted, disappointed, excited, pleased, puzzled,
shocked, tired, concerned, convinced, determined, prepared, thrilled
-ing as an adjective
There are also a large number of adjectives ending in -ing which relate to verb
forms and are used in the same way as -ed adjectives.
Note that these adjectives usually describe things rather than people directly,
although they also describe the effect that something has on your ideas and
feelings:
" The meeting was very satisfying for all concerned as everybody got what
they wanted.
" The play was quite interesting and commented on many aspects of
contemporary life.
" These results, Tom, are disappointing and must be very worrying for your
parents. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]