Module 9: More About Verbs - Lesson 9.4: Participles - Present and Past Participles as Adjectives

Lesson 9.4: Participles - Present and Past Participles as Adjectives

Welcome to Lesson 9.4! In this lesson, we will focus on Participles, specifically their function as adjectives. Participles are verb forms that can act like adjectives to modify nouns, adding descriptive detail. We will explore both Present Participles (verb + '-ing') and Past Participles (often '-ed' or irregular forms) in their adjectival roles, understanding how they modify nouns and the nuances of meaning they convey.

Participles as Adjectives - Verb Forms Describing Nouns:

Participles, in their adjectival function, act just like regular adjectives – they modify nouns or pronouns, providing descriptive information. They bring a verb-like quality to their description, often indicating an action, state, or condition related to the noun they modify.

Two Main Types of Participles as Adjectives:

We will focus on two main types of participles used as adjectives:

Present Participles as Adjectives - Active and Ongoing:
Form: Present participles are formed by adding '-ing' to the base form of the verb (same form as gerunds).

Meaning as Adjectives: When used as adjectives, present participles typically describe a noun as being in the process of performing an action, or having a quality that produces an action or effect. They often convey a sense of being active, ongoing, or causing an effect.

Examples - Present Participles as Adjectives:
- The barking dog woke up the neighbors. (Present participle 'barking' describes the dog as performing the action of barking - active and ongoing).
- She watched the setting sun. (Present participle 'setting' describes the sun in the process of setting - ongoing action).
- We could hear the flowing river. (Present participle 'flowing' describes the river's continuous movement - ongoing action).
- They found a sleeping baby in the cradle. (Present participle 'sleeping' describes the baby in the state of sleep - ongoing state).
- That was a very exciting game. (Present participle 'exciting' describes the game as causing excitement - producing an effect).
- The news was worrying. (Present participle 'worrying' describes the news as causing worry - producing an effect).
Placement: Present participle adjectives usually come before the noun they modify (attributive position), just like typical adjectives.
Past Participles as Adjectives - Passive or Completed Action:
Form: Past participles are usually the third form of a verb. For regular verbs, they end in '-ed'. For irregular verbs, they have various forms (e.g., broken, gone, seen, written).

Meaning as Adjectives: When used as adjectives, past participles often describe a noun as having received an action, or being in a completed state resulting from an action. They often convey a sense of being passive, completed, or resulting state.

Examples - Past Participles as Adjectives:
- The broken window needed to be repaired. (Past participle 'broken' describes the window as having received the action of breaking - passive/completed result).
- They live in a renovated house. (Past participle 'renovated' describes the house as having undergone renovation - completed action).
- We found some abandoned cars in the field. (Past participle 'abandoned' describes cars that have been abandoned - completed action).
- She wore a knitted sweater. (Past participle 'knitted' describes the sweater as being made by knitting - passive process).
- He felt very tired after the long journey. (Past participle 'tired' describes his state as a result of becoming tired - resulting state).
- They were amazed by the performance. (Past participle 'amazed' describes their state as a result of being amazed - resulting state).
Placement: Past participle adjectives usually come before the noun they modify (attributive position), similar to present participle adjectives and typical adjectives. They can also sometimes follow linking verbs and function as predicate adjectives (e.g., "The window was broken.").

Distinguishing Present and Past Participles as Adjectives - Active vs. Passive/Completed Meaning:

The key difference in meaning between present and past participles when used as adjectives lies in the active vs. passive/completed distinction:

Present Participle Adjectives ('-ing'): Active, Ongoing, Causing Effect. The noun *performs* the action or *produces* the effect described by the participle. e.g., "barking dog" (dog is doing the barking), "exciting game" (game causes excitement).
Past Participle Adjectives ('-ed' or irregular): Passive, Completed, Resulting State. The noun *receives* the action or is in a *state resulting from* the action described by the participle. e.g., "broken window" (window received the action of being broken), "tired person" (person is in a state of being tired as a result of something).

Examples highlighting the contrast:

Present Participle (Active): Falling leaves (Leaves are in the *process* of falling).
Past Participle (Completed/Resulting): Fallen leaves (Leaves have *already* fallen and are now on the ground - resulting state).
Present Participle (Active/Causing Effect): Amusing story (Story *causes* amusement).
Past Participle (Passive/Resulting State): Amused audience (Audience *feels* amused - resulting state of feeling).
Present Participle (Active/Ongoing): Developing countries (Countries are in the *process* of developing).
Past Participle (Completed/Resulting): Developed countries (Countries have *already completed* a process of development and are in a developed state).

Using Participle Adjectives Effectively - Choosing the Right Form:

Choosing between a present or past participle as an adjective depends on the meaning you want to convey:

To describe something actively performing an action or causing an effect: Use Present Participle ('-ing'). (e.g., a *laughing* child, a *charming* smile, a *fascinating* book).
To describe something that has received an action or is in a state as a result of a completed action: Use Past Participle ('-ed' or irregular). (e.g., a *painted* door, a *written* letter, a *frozen* lake).
To describe someone's feelings or emotions resulting from something: Use Past Participle ('-ed' or irregular). (e.g., *excited* children, *surprised* guests, *disappointed* fans).
To describe something that causes feelings or emotions in others: Use Present Participle ('-ing'). (e.g., an *exciting* movie, a *surprising* announcement, a *disappointing* result).

Placement of Participle Adjectives:

Participle adjectives typically precede the noun they modify (attributive position). However, past participles, especially when describing a state or condition, can also follow linking verbs (predicate adjective position), similar to regular adjectives.

Attributive Position (before noun): "The broken vase." "A sleeping baby." "Fallen leaves."
Predicate Position (after linking verb - mainly past participles): "The vase is broken." "The baby is sleeping." (While present participles can also follow linking verbs, in this lesson we are focusing on their adjectival descriptive role, which is more often attributive).

Key takeaway: Present participles ('-ing') as adjectives convey active, ongoing action or causing an effect. Past participles ('-ed' or irregular) as adjectives convey passive, completed action or a resulting state. Choosing between present and past participle adjectives depends on whether you want to emphasize active action or a completed/passive state related to the noun. Next, we will explore Lesson 9.5: Participles - Participle Phrases and Adverbial Uses!