ques about passive voice and adj,

Question

there is an example ''the cat is trapped''this is a passive sentencebut the word ''trapped'' in this sentence , is it an adjective?or just a past participle only?

Regards · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Please use capital letters when you post.

Anonymous The cat is trapped.

This is a passive sentence as you said, while trapped is a verb (the past participle of trap).

Regards

BillJ · Answer

Anonymousthere is an example the cat is trappedthis is a passive sentencebut the word trapped in this sentence , is it an adjective?or just a past participle only?

Without knowing the full context, it has to be seen as ambiguous; it could either be a verbal passive or an adjectival passive.

If it is intended to have a dynamic meaning whereby the cat is trapped by someone or something, then it is a verbal passive; if it has a stative meaning where "trapped" is a state arising from some prior event, then "trapped" is an adjective, and thus it is an adjectival passive:

"The cat is trapped by the neighbours" (verbal passive)
"The cat is trapped up the tree" (adjectival passive)

BillJ

RandomGuy · Answer

BillJ"The cat is trapped by the neighbours" (verbal passive)
"The cat is trapped up the tree" (adjectival passive)

The both of them look adjectival to me, and since both use the past participle trapped—a verbal—they are "verbal" as well. The difference between the two is that the first is a "full" passive, and the second is a "statal" passive.

The cat is trapped by the neighbors. adjective phrase used as subjective complement

Anonymousbut the word trapped in this sentence , is it an adjective?or just a past participle only?

~~Yes, it is used as an adjective. Most past participles are used as adjectives, including the ones in BillJ's examples, in my opinion.~~

Edit (years later): I have no idea what I was talking about, nor did I at the time, clearly.

BillJ · Answer

Aspara GusBillJ"The cat is trapped by the neighbours" (verbal passive)"The cat is trapped up the tree" (adjectival passive)The both of them look adjectival to me, and since both use the past participle trapped—a verbal—they are "verbal" as well. The difference between the two is that the first is a "full" passive, and the second is a "statal" passive.The cat is trapped by the neighbors. adjective phrase used as subjective complement

A past-participle cannot be simultaneously verbal and adjectival. The contrast here is between verbal passives and adjectival passives, the clauses being either one or the other. In verbal passives the past-participle is a verb, in adjectival passives, an adjective.

In my reply, I said that the OP's example was ambiguous - which is why I gave examples of the two possible alternatives - a verbal passive meaning, where "trapped" is a verb (I also said that my verbal passive example assumed a dynamic meaning of "trapped". It can hardly be dynamic and stative, can it?):

"The neighbours trap the cat" (active).
"The cat is trapped by the neighbours" (passive).

And an adjectival passive meaning, where "trapped" is an adjective:

"The cat is trapped up the tree".

Aspara GusAnonymousbut the word trapped in this sentence , is it an adjective?or just a past participle only?Yes, it is used as an adjective. Most past participles are used as adjectives, including the ones in BillJ's examples, in my opinion.

I wouldn't say most. Take these examples, where the past-participles can only be verbs:

"The plants were watered by the gardener".
"He quickly spent the money given him by his uncle".
"Those considered of bias were quickly sacked".

BillJ

ques about passive voice and adj,

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions