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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Past participle as adjective
Hi. Please help me with this.
I think it is correct to say that many past participles are used as adjectives. For those past participles available and applicable to be used as adjectives, could we use them regardless whether the verb forms (?) of the past participles used as adjectives stem from a verb that takes an object or not?
I might be mistaken but I think I read somewhere in this forum that the verb form (?) of a past participle ending in "-ed" which is used as an adjective should (?) be transitive, meaning it should take an object. (I am not sure I have written the previous sentence correctly to reflect what I wanted to say.)
But I think these are correct.
a well-heeled gentleman -- Here, I think the word "heeled" isn't transitive.
a small-hearted person -- Again, I think the word "hearted" isn't transitive.
I think it is correct to say that many past participles are used as adjectives. For those past participles available and applicable to be used as adjectives, could we use them regardless whether the verb forms (?) of the past participles used as adjectives stem from a verb that takes an object or not?
I might be mistaken but I think I read somewhere in this forum that the verb form (?) of a past participle ending in "-ed" which is used as an adjective should (?) be transitive, meaning it should take an object. (I am not sure I have written the previous sentence correctly to reflect what I wanted to say.)
But I think these are correct.
a well-heeled gentleman -- Here, I think the word "heeled" isn't transitive.
a small-hearted person -- Again, I think the word "hearted" isn't transitive.
Top answer
Hi Anon: You ask about well-heeled and small-hearted. H eel is a verb that takes an object: The shoemaker heeled my boots. A well-heeled gent is someone who can afford nice shoes, so is rich.
- Hi Anon: You ask about well-heeled and small-hearted.
- H eel is a verb that takes an object: The shoemaker heeled my boots.
- A well-heeled gent is someone who can afford nice shoes, so is rich.
- I've not heard of "small-hearted", but big-hearted and warm-hearted are similar.
- It means the person is endowed with a large heart, thus sympathetic and generous.
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1 Answers
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Hi Anon:
You ask about well-heeled and small-hearted.
Heel is a verb that takes an object:
The shoemaker heeled my boots.
A well-heeled gent is someone who can afford nice shoes, so is rich.
I've not heard of "small-hearted", but big-hearted and warm-hearted are similar. It means the person is endowed with a large heart, thus sympathetic and generous
You ask about well-heeled and small-hearted.
Heel is a verb that takes an object:
The shoemaker heeled my boots.
A well-heeled gent is someone who can afford nice shoes, so is rich.
I've not heard of "small-hearted", but big-hearted and warm-hearted are similar. It means the person is endowed with a large heart, thus sympathetic and generous
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