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9.4.6 The present and past participles used as adjectives

The present and past participles can be used as adjectives. When used in this way, they are sometimes called participial adjectives and the present participle has an active meaning, while the past participle usually has a passive meaning. They can occur:

  • in an attributive position before nouns:

    The survey revealed some worrying results. (present participle)
    The wind was blowing through the broken living room window.
    (past participle)

  • in a predicative position after a linking verb:

    The results of the survey were/seemed worrying.
    The living room window was/looked broken.