LoginParticiple Adjectives
Discover the rules for using participle adjectives like 'tired' and 'tiring'. Detailed explanations and a quiz to test your knowledge.
Types of Participle
The two types of participles in English are:
Present Participle (verb + -ing)
Past Participle (verb + -ed/-en)
Present Participles
'Present participle adjectives' are formed by adding the suffix '-ing' to the base form of the verb. Pay attention to the examples:
The movie annoys me. → The movie is annoying.
The play amused us. →The play was amusing.
The bird that flew had blue feathers. → The flying bird had blue feathers.
Past Participles
'Past participle adjectives' are usually formed by adding the suffix '-ed' or '-en' to verbs. However, sometimes the past participle form is irregular. These adjectives are usually used for living things because non-living objects cannot experience feelings or actions.
The stunned boy lived on his own.
I was pleased after talking to the young lady.
I think I am a little confused now.
He is always misunderstood.
He was killed for an unknown reason.
Participle Adjectives: Functions
Participle adjectives can be used as:
A pre-positive adjective
A post-positive adjective
You can't fix a broken heart. (pre-positive)
I am left with nothing but a heart broken by his actions. (post-positive)
Compound Participle Adjectives
Adding a noun, adverb, or adjective before a participle adjective forms a compound participle adjective that is still considered a participle adjective. Look at the following examples:
There is a never-ending love between them.
They create long-lasting flowers using a special substance.
Hyphen
When forming compound participle adjectives, don't forget to insert a hyphen between the participle adjective and the preceding word.
Review
'Participle adjectives' are present participles or past participles formed from a verb that ends in -ing or -ed.
They are usually used to express feelings, however, they can be used in different cases. So it is better to consider them descriptive adjectives.
Quiz:
Which sentence uses a present participle adjective correctly?
The boring student fell asleep during the lecture.
The children are playing in the park.
The confusing tourist asked for directions.
The breaking news shocked everyone.
Which sentence uses a predicative participle adjective?
The exciting news spread quickly.
The news was exciting to everyone.
The excited crowd cheered loudly.
The flying bird landed on the branch.
Complete the table by choosing whether the participle is used as an adjective or verb form?
Housing prices are rising rapidly. | |
He was disappointed with the results. | |
The professor was boring the students. | |
The child had broken the vase. | |
The book was so entertaining. |
Fill the blanks with the correct form of the verb in parentheses.
The
(excite) children couldn't sleep before the trip.
The
(bark) dog kept the neighbors awake.
The
(confuse) instructions frustrated everyone.
The
(frighten) movie made us jump.
She served us
(burn) toast for breakfast.
Sort the words to form a correct sentence with a compound participle adjective.
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