Confusion with participles

[meganasks]

Hi,

For non-native English speakers, the concept of gerunds may be quite complicated. I often help my students determine if a past participle of a verb is acting as a gerund (functioning as a noun) by adding the phrase "the act of" before the word. If the sentence makes sense, then it is a past participle acting as a noun.

Ex: Cooking is my favorite hobby.
(The act of) cooking is my favorite hobby.

In the next sentences, it is quite obvious that the word "cooking" is not used as gerunds:

I bought a new cooking pan. (adjective)
This describes what kind of pan the speaker bought.

She is cooking a new Italian dish. (verb)
This states an action.

Sooner or later, you will encounter students who are analytical and who expect a good answer when it comes to grammar aspects that confuse them.

Although it is not easy to distinguish between form and function all the time, we should try to make the explanations as simple as possible and give examples to prove the point.

 

[Raymott]

a. The window was broken
Theoretically that "broken" could be an adjective, as in 'The window was broken. But it's not broken amy more.' But I think that's very unlikely.
A window frame can be fixed. But if one is referring to shattered glass, that can't be fixed. (at least as far as I know)

b. The window is closed
I can't think of a context in which "closed" would be a verb.
That surprises me.

a.
Are you claiming that broken windows exist only in theory?
Or, you cannot speak about broken windows in the past?
We wanted to paste the transparency on the window, but the window was broken.

b.
We normally keep the window open. If it gets too windy or noisy outside, the window is closed.

 

[2006]

a.
Are you claiming that broken windows exist only in theory?
Or, you cannot speak about broken windows in the past?
We wanted to paste the transparency on the window, but the window was broken.



b.
We normally keep the window open. If it gets too windy or noisy outside, the window is closed.

Of course, you are right. I was suffering from tunnel vision in both cases!
Thanks for straightening me out.

 

[RonBee]

Of course, you are right. I was suffering from tunnel vision in both cases!
Thanks for straightening me out.

Not so fast! You are both right.

In "The window was broken" the word "broken" is a verb. In "We wanted to paste the transparency on the window, but the window was broken" the word "broken" is an adjective. In "The window is closed" the word "closed" is an adjective. In "If it gets too windy or noisy outside, the window is closed" the word "closed" is a verb. Change the context, change the meaning.

 

[2006]

Not so fast! You are both right.

In "The window was broken" the word "broken" is a verb. In "We wanted to paste the transparency on the window, but the window was broken" the word "broken" is an adjective. In "The window is closed" the word "closed" is an adjective. In "If it gets too windy or noisy outside, the window is closed" the word "closed" is a verb. Change the context, change the meaning.

Well my examples may be right, but I missed some possibilities.

 

[RonBee]

Well my examples may be right, but I missed some possibilities.

True.
;-)