Participle vs Adjective

I think it's always an adjective in premodification. Do you have a problematic example?

We were thought that both participles and adjectives can be premodificators.
e.g.
a tried method (tried participle)

the running water (running participle)

an interesting story (interesting adjective)

There examples:
red-haired woman, black-eyed person, hard-headed boy
Do we have here participles or adjectives as premod? Are these denominal participles

Ah, I see. I think you are confusing form with function.

'-ed' and '-ing' verb forms have different functions. As 'participles', they can be parts of verb phrases ('have tried', 'am trying') or non-finite verbs ('Trying to wash the vase, he broke it'); as 'adjectives', they simply function as other adjectives do ('a tried method', 'a trying day').

I see your point but my teacher asks that we make distinction between participles and adjctives in premodification. She wants the form of the premodificator. The dictionary indeed classifies all those words as adjectives but some of them she classifies as participles
e.g. running water

The main problem in this is with people who insist that it is always possible to label -ing and -ed as either participles (== verbs) or adjectives. Given that words such as 'adjective' and 'participle' are simply labels that we use to help us discuss the way we use language, this is absurd. There is no such thing as an adjective in the real world. 'Adjective' is simply a

EnglishGirlWe were thought that both participles and adjectives can be premodificators. e.g.a tried method (tried participle) the running water (running participle)an interesting story (interesting adjective)

Premodificators? Do you mean premodifiers?

As for those participles / adjectives, you'd practically have to be a native speaker to know how to l

Thank you very much. This was very helpful. Now, I have guidelines which seems to be working in my exercises. Should I find some confusing examples I'll type them here.

Tony was a middle-aged man of florid complexion.
But the Spanish-speaking community in the UK is growing.

Are those in your opinion participles or adjectives? My teacher said that both are participles. I would say that middle-aged as an adjective and Spanish-speaking is a participle.

EnglishGirlI would say that middle-aged as an adjective and Spanish-speaking is a participle.

At least we all agree that "Spanish-speaking" is a participle.

I don't claim to be an expert at this, but I tend to agree with you that "middle-aged" is an adjective even though it's literal, but given a good argument for calling it a participle, I might be s

Thank you. I'll ask her for the explanation.