Learners' Questions

2017-09-01 How to use participles as adjectives – Learners’ Questions

Dan explains how to use participles as adjectives in this episode of Learners’ Questions. Improve your English grammar with Learners’ Questions from BBC Learning English. Tutul from Bangladesh says: I am confused as to when I can use participles as adjectives. For example, I can say: ”I saw a barking dog”. But I can’t say: ”I saw a barked dog”. Why not?

Participle Adjectives English has a number of adjectives made from verb participles. These end with -ing or are a past participle form of the verb (often -ed). -ing adjectives have a similar meaning to active verbs. Past participles have passive meanings. If you are unsure which to use, transform the participle adjective into a relative clause. If it doesn’t make sense as a relative clause, it doesn’t make sense as a participle adjective. There are not many verb participles that can be used as adjectives in both –ed and –ing forms.

BBC Learning English

Share
Published by
BBC Learning English

Recent Posts

2025-09-17 Israel committing genocide in Gaza: UN commission – Learning English from the News

The story An investigation by the United Nations, called a 'commission of inquiry', has found…

1 week ago

2025-09-03 Earthquakes hit Afghanistan – Learning English from the News

The story A major aftershock has hit eastern Afghanistan, just days after an earthquake measuring…

1 week ago

2025-08-27 Heatwaves speed up ageing process, study says – Learning English from the News

The story A study in Taiwan has found that peoples' biological age increases when they…

1 week ago

2025-08-20 Ukraine: Presidents discuss end to war – Learning English from the News

The story Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky returned to the White House on Monday to meet…

1 week ago

2025-08-13 Is prostate cancer over-treated? – Learning English from the News

The story The charity Prostate Cancer UK, says that the UK is treating too many…

1 week ago