Distinguish between present participles and past participles used as adjectives - Sentence structure - Multilingual Writers and ESL Topics

Rules for writers, Tenth edition - Diana Hacker, Nancy Sommers 2021

Distinguish between present participles and past participles used as adjectives
Sentence structure
Multilingual Writers and ESL Topics

Both present and past participles may be used as adjectives. The present participle always ends in -ing. Past participles usually end in -ed, -d, -en, -n, or -t. (See 27a.)

PRESENT PARTICIPLES

✵ confusing, speaking, boring

PAST PARTICIPLES

✵ confused, spoken, bored

Like all other adjectives, participles can come before nouns; they also can follow linking verbs, in which case they describe the subject of the sentence. (See 48b.)

Use a present participle to describe a person or thing causing or stimulating an experience.

The boring lecture put us to sleep. [The lecture caused boredom.]

Use a past participle to describe a person or thing undergoing an experience.

The audience was bored by the lecture. [The audience experienced boredom.]

Participles that describe emotions or mental states often cause the most confusion.

✵ annoying/annoyed

✵ exhausting/exhausted

✵ boring/bored

✵ fascinating/fascinated

✵ confusing/confused

✵ frightening/frightened

✵ exciting/excited

✵ surprising/surprised

EXERCISE 30-2

Edit the following sentences for proper use of present and past participles. If a sentence is correct, write “correct” after it. Answers appear in the back of the book.

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a. Listening to everyone’s complaints all day was irritated.

b. The all-day online classes were exhausted.

c. His skill at chess is amazing.

d. After a great deal of research, the scientist made a fascinated discovery.

e. Surviving that tornado was one of the most frightened experiences I’ve ever had.