Grammar question: Past participles used as adjectives?

Grammar question: Past participles used as adjectives?
by

1 Answer

Answer :

answer:In 1 and 2, “shown” and “expected” are past participles in reduced clauses. 1’ The image (that is) shown on the home page is wrong. 2’ When I don’t get the thing (that is) expected, I usually get angry. In 3, “confounded” is a past participle used as an adjective. (But it’s a weird sentence, I don’t know if an inanimate object like a Ferris wheel can be confounded) 1c is wrong because it has two tensed verbs in the same clause. The first verb has to be either in a dependent clause (as in 1a), or it has to be a participle (as in 1b). We’ve talked about this before: http://www.fluther.com/110933/active-or-passive-or-past-participle-adjective/ http://www.fluther.com/90503/what-does-this-sentence-mean/
by

Related questions

Grammar question: where is the line between the passive voice and (to be) as a linking verb?

Description : Grammar question: where is the line between the passive voice and (to be) as a linking verb?

Last Answer : Here is how I see it. For a word to be an adjective, it must be describing some object. If you say, The pot was watched , watched is not a property of the pot. There is an irony in ... would ordinarily be on the current state of the pot rather than acts of tarnishing that had been made on it.

Grammar question: does a one word or phrase answer in "social" have to be capitalized?

Description : Grammar question: does a one word or phrase answer in "social" have to be capitalized?

Last Answer : I’ve been dinged for it now & then. The gods must be forgiven for confusing omnipotence with perfection. We must not be allowed to forget who’s boss.

English grammar question: is this right even though it sounds wrong?

Description : English grammar question: is this right even though it sounds wrong?

Last Answer : Were turning to the left. .. is what I would say.

Grammar question : Difference between these sentences.

Description : Grammar question : Difference between these sentences.

Last Answer : answer:First of all, they should all begin ”To select the new file,...” “For selecting the new file” makes little sense.

Quick grammar question: not superlative but on its way?

Description : Quick grammar question: not superlative but on its way?

Last Answer : They’re called “comparative adjectives”.

English grammar question involving conditional tense.

Description : English grammar question involving conditional tense.

Last Answer : Am…..you’re speaking in the present tense.

Can someone help me with a quick grammar question?

Description : Can someone help me with a quick grammar question?

Last Answer : It could be “a twenty-dollar hourly charge” or “an hourly charge of twenty dollars”.

Nitpicky English grammar question.

Description : Nitpicky English grammar question.

Last Answer : “People should think more,” is a good compromise. But the first sentence is utterly correct, and would only confuse someone who is not a human.

Grammar question regarding quotation marks.

Description : Grammar question regarding quotation marks.

Last Answer : 1

Grammar question re: "are" versus "is"?

Description : Grammar question re: "are" versus "is"?

Last Answer : answer:Initially I would say: Are – lights and horses are two things. But I think that the sentence just needs to be restructured as Cyanotic Wasp points out below.

Question re:grammar?

Description : Question re:grammar?

Last Answer : A group of firefighters IS ready. Because it’s the group you’re talking about. Although it is a collective, it is considered singular. If you were to say “The groupS of firefighters…”, that would be plural again, and you would use ARE.

[Grammar Question] How to quote an engraved piece of jewellery?

Description : [Grammar Question] How to quote an engraved piece of jewellery?

Last Answer : Use quotation marks.

Great question, bad grammar or spelling. How do you react?

Description : Great question, bad grammar or spelling. How do you react?

Last Answer : If a question is poorly put together, it is often difficult to understand exactly what is being asked. That has to color the level of interest and response.

Help with a quick grammar question?

Description : Help with a quick grammar question?

Last Answer : Stay true to the quote.

This will be the most useful question I ever ask. Can you guys help me with my grammar?

Description : This will be the most useful question I ever ask. Can you guys help me with my grammar?

Last Answer : Brave of you to ask! :) Great question. “You’re” is the same as “you are.” If it makes sense to use “you are” in a sentence, then use “you’re.” ”You’re awesome for wanting to improve your grammar.”

English grammar question regarding ellipses?

Description : English grammar question regarding ellipses?

Last Answer : Ellipsis Scroll down until you reach the paragraph that discusses how the Chicago Manual of Style (a book you should own) suggests you use…in formal text.

Grammar Question: Better choice in the following sentence (see details): "that" or "which" ?

Description : Grammar Question: Better choice in the following sentence (see details): "that" or "which" ?

Last Answer : To quote from Schmoo, from http://www.ask-public.com/ld/393/ - According to _Woe is I_ (an awesome grammar book!), the difference is this: If you can drop the clause that "that" or "which" begins ... the sentence: "Buster's bulldog won best in show." Also, commas precede a which, but not a that."

grammar question: me vs. my ?

Description : grammar question: me vs. my ?

Last Answer : I believe its me

Grammar question: When to use "a" instead of "an"?

Description : Grammar question: When to use "a" instead of "an"?

Last Answer : answer:I believe (not a grammar specialist) that if the vowel is follwed by an “n,” as in unicorn, you then use “a.” Edit: scratch that, you do say “an” anaconda.

Did you know that adjectives go in a particular order?

Description : Did you know that adjectives go in a particular order?

Last Answer : I asked a similar question not too long ago, being surprised to realize that there was such an ordering of adjectives. I was specifically interested in knowing whether there were other languages that ... other than English said that there were no such rules in the other languages they spoke.

Is there a word order for different types of adjectives (see details)?

Description : Is there a word order for different types of adjectives (see details)?

Last Answer : answer:As far as I know English is the only language with that kind of bizarre order. And as a non-native English speaker I'm quite comfortable with the order, maybe because it was what they brainwashed ... I'm so used to it. But then again a non-native speaker is less flexible than the natives.

Is there a rule for the order in which adjectives are strung together?

Description : Is there a rule for the order in which adjectives are strung together?

Last Answer : I don’t believe there are any grammatical rules… I just think it’s most common for the adjective you want to emphasize the most strongly to be placed first. “Warm, cheerful fire” sounds better than “Cheerful, warm fire” because we usually associate warmth with fires more than we do cheer.

Should adjectives that refer to people or cities be capitalized? "Live a Spartan life" "Life is Roman in its opulence."?

Description : Should adjectives that refer to people or cities be capitalized? "Live a Spartan life" "Life is Roman in its opulence."?

Last Answer : Proper nouns get a capital.

Who were the first humans to identify language forms and develop rules in grammar?

Description : Who were the first humans to identify language forms and develop rules in grammar?

Last Answer : Language and language structures pre-date history. (One cannot have a hsitory to share without a way to communicate it). And there are disaprate structures and rules that arose ... groups and regions developed in isolation. Similarities only arose through trade and interaction with neighbors.

Can we blame The Doors (musical group) for bad grammar?

Description : Can we blame The Doors (musical group) for bad grammar?

Last Answer : No, because no one ever knew “The Doors”.

Does the grammar rule a and a(n) with vowels apply to speaking?

Description : Does the grammar rule a and a(n) with vowels apply to speaking?

Last Answer : of course. speaking or writing, the rules are the same.

Is my grammar okay? (Apology letter for a lover)

Description : Is my grammar okay? (Apology letter for a lover)

Last Answer : please help me

Grammar Police: If something is made by an artisan, is it called "artisan" or "artisanal?"?

Description : Grammar Police: If something is made by an artisan, is it called "artisan" or "artisanal?"?

Last Answer : The adjective is artisanal, Artisan is the person who made it.

Is , "you should be eating healthy" correct grammar?

Description : Is , "you should be eating healthy" correct grammar?

Last Answer : answer:No. I have heard ‘healthily” so it is not unknown. But more often I have heard it expressed differently – “you should it eat a healthier diet.” Healthy is an adjective, so it ought to be used as an adjective, not as an adverb.

What is your opinion on this article about the resurgence of grammar?

Description : What is your opinion on this article about the resurgence of grammar?

Last Answer : answer:I agree grammar should be creative and interesting for it to be fun enough for kids or even some adults to want to try. I do think that a lot of the much older' ... educated people and could knock their socks off with our various expertise, without the scornful attitude, hopefully.

Ever wanted to point out someone's spelling errors/poor grammar online?

Description : Ever wanted to point out someone's spelling errors/poor grammar online?

Last Answer : Very, very often.

My fellow nit-picking grammar jellies: How should this be written?

Description : My fellow nit-picking grammar jellies: How should this be written?

Last Answer : Well, you definitely don’t want the apostrophe there but otherwise it is o.k. It might be preferable to write out “mid-seventeen hundreds” though.

Is this incorrect grammar?

Description : Is this incorrect grammar?

Last Answer : I sometimes use “they” in the place of “he or she,” but if the gender of the person is known, it makes more sense (and is more correct) to be specific. “He or she” is more correct than “they” as well, but I feel weird saying “he or she” on a casual conversation.

How well do you score on a grammar quiz?

Description : How well do you score on a grammar quiz?

Last Answer : I got 14, although I found myself brooding about #1 and changed my mind twice.

Why is it that people with poor grammar skills consistently confuse when to use 'I' and when to use 'me'?

Description : Why is it that people with poor grammar skills consistently confuse when to use 'I' and when to use 'me'?

Last Answer : answer:Technically, “This is I,” is correct. “He sent a telegram to my grandson and I” is not. The really easy way to prevent this is to separate the double subject or object into two parts. “Me went shopping.” “He sent a telegram to I.”

Do you know any website I can use to improve grammar and writing?

Description : Do you know any website I can use to improve grammar and writing?

Last Answer : This Grammar of Doom game from the list looks like fun.

Is this sentence grammatically correct? (calling all grammar geeks!)

Description : Is this sentence grammatically correct? (calling all grammar geeks!)

Last Answer : I hope this helps: http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/where-versus-in-whichadverbs.aspx

How do you say "She was pretty" in French? (grammar)

Description : How do you say "She was pretty" in French? (grammar)

Last Answer : The way you originally wrote it is the passé composé, but one would rarely use the passé composé in this situation. That would translate to “She has been pretty”. You would more likely say “Elle etait jolie”, which is the imperfect tense.

What's the reason for the enclosed English grammar usage?

Description : What's the reason for the enclosed English grammar usage?

Last Answer : “Were” is the subjunctive mood of “to be.”

In grammar, what is a matrix clause?

Description : In grammar, what is a matrix clause?

Last Answer : answer:A matrix clause is a clause that surrounds an embedded clause. It is typically-but not always-the main clause of a sentence. Example: Jim's old car, which was never any good in the first place, ... is a matrix clause. which was never any good in the first place is an embedded clause.

Does English grammar really matter?

Description : Does English grammar really matter?

Last Answer : answer:Yes, it matters for clarity and precision in meaning. But if English is not your native language and you’re still working on it then we’ll certainly make allowances and try to clarify things we need to understand when responding. I’ve been working on it for over half a century now.

Is there an app that tests you on punctuation and grammar?

Description : Is there an app that tests you on punctuation and grammar?

Last Answer : Grammar App by Tap to Learn. You’ll find it in the Apple App Store on iTunes.

Is the word "I'd've" considered proper grammar?

Description : Is the word "I'd've" considered proper grammar?

Last Answer : I’ve’rd it u’db’f’re, so why n’t?

Is it ok to correct her grammar?

Description : Is it ok to correct her grammar?

Last Answer : As a seasoned veteran of the Grammar Gestapo, I think it depends on how well you know her. If you think she’ll be offended at the slightest criticism (however friendly), then don’t bother.

What's a good grammar app for the iPad?

Description : What's a good grammar app for the iPad?

Last Answer : I really, really like Grammar App HD ($1.99); check it out at http://appsto.re/gahd ; also worthy of noting—it was named one of eight ’’[b]rilliant Writing’’ apps by copyblogger in 2010 http://j.mp/cpyblggr

Why is using proper grammar such a problem for some people?

Description : Why is using proper grammar such a problem for some people?

Last Answer : answer:Because my brain is better at Quantum Physics than it ever was with grammar and punctuation. that's why but mostly I'm just too lazy to care. I actually had learning dissabilities that when ... can also screw up grammar and punctuation in a few languages so Not everyone can say that either.

What's it called in grammar when you don't say what "it" is? (details)

Description : What's it called in grammar when you don't say what "it" is? (details)

Last Answer : From your description, I’d say it’s a case of a pronoun that’s lacking an antecedent. Faulty pronoun reference is the error.

Does bad grammar in songs bother you?

Description : Does bad grammar in songs bother you?

Last Answer : It doesn’t bother me at all. If I like the song, I don’t care about the grammar. For example, there’s a very good song, that says “the most loneliest day of my life”. I don’t care. The song is awesome.

English Grammar- What is the correct pronoun to refer to 'family'?

Description : English Grammar- What is the correct pronoun to refer to 'family'?

Last Answer : answer:Read the best answer for this yahoo post: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061101113028AANVwIx Is it really correct? It sounds very awkward using ‘it’ to refer to a family.

Can you help me with this Spanish grammar rule?

Description : Can you help me with this Spanish grammar rule?

Last Answer : I’m confused. Where do you want to put the u? O means or, is that what you are talking about? My spanish is good, but not perfect. I’ll also send this to a some Spanish speakers for you.