an interesting book
used as adjectives before nouns, or after be and other a lost dog
The upstairs toilet window is broken.
His idea seems exciting.
used as adjectives:
Participles can often be link verbs.
an interesting book a falling leaf screaming children
Participles used as adjectives can have objects. Note the word order. English-speaking Canadians, (NOT speaking-English Canadians.) a fox-hunting man Is that watch self-winding?
Other compound structures with participles are also common before nouns. quick-growing trees government-inspired rumours
home-made cake the above-mentioned point
a recently-built house
after nouns: the people questioned
We often use participles after nouns in order to define or identify the nouns, in the same way as we use identifying relative clauses (see relatives 2:).
We couldn’t agree on any of the problems discussed.
(= … the problems that were discussed.) (NOT … the discussed problems.)
The people questioned gave very different opinions.
(= The people who were questioned …) (NOT The questioned people …) I watched the match because I knew some of the people playing, (NOT .. .-the
I got the only ticket left, (NOT .. .-the only left ticket.)
Those
is often used with a participle to mean ‘the ones who are/were’.
Most of those questioned refused to answer.
Those selected will begin training on Monday.
differences of meaning
A few participles change their meaning according to their position. Compare:
a concerned expression (= a worried expression)
the people concerned (= the people who are/were affected)
an involved explanation (= a complicated explanation) the people involved (= the same as the people concerned)
an adopted child
(= a child who is brought up by people who are not his/her
biological parents) the solution adopted (= the solution that is/was chosen)
much or very with past participles
When a past participle is part of a passive verb, we can put much or very much before it, but not very.
He’s (very) much admired by his students, (NOT … veiy admired …) Britain’s trade position has been (very) much weakened by inflation.
When a past participle is used as an adjective, we usually prefer very. This is common with words referring to mental states, feelings and reactions. a very frightened animal (NOT a much frightened animal) a very shocked expression The children were very bored.
She looked very surprised.
Common exceptions:
That’s Alice, unless I’m (very) much mistaken, (NOT .. -unless-Tm- very mistaken.)
He’s well known in the art world, (not … very knownr…) y
With amused, very and (very) much are both possible.
I was very amused / much amused / very much amused by Miranda’s performance.
frightened by / frightened of
By
is used after passive verbs to introduce the agent (the person or thing that does the action – see passives 2: agent).
Most of the damage was caused by your sister.
After past participles that are used like adjectives, we prefer other prepositions. Compare:
She was frightened by a mouse that ran into the room.
(.Frightened
is part of a passive verb referring to an action.)
She’s always been terribly frightened of dying.
(Frightened
is an adjective referring to a state of mind.)
The kids were so excited by the music that they kept screaming, foe’s excited about the possibility of going to the States.
I was annoyed by the way she spoke to me.
I’m annoyed with you.
The burglar was surprised by the family coming home unexpectedly.
I’m surprised at/by your attitude.
He was badly shocked by his fall.
We were shocked at/by the prices in London.
Other examples:
His whereabouts are known to the police.
The hills are covered in snow.
The room was filled with thick smoke.
special past participle forms
A few older forms of past participles are still used as adjectives before nouns in certain expressions.
drunken laughter/singing etc a sunken wreck/ship etc a shrunken head rotten fritit!vegetables etc
For more information consult a good dictionary like Langman, Oxford, Merriam Webster, or Collins.
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