What Are Past Participles?

What Are Past Participles?

• The Past Participle
(Past participles usually end with -ed, -d, -t, -en, or -n.)
• The Present Participle
(Present participles end with -ing.)

Examples of Past Participles Being Used As Adjectives

Past Participles in Participle Phrases

• The boy taken to hospital has recovered.
(The participle phrase taken to hospital describes the boy.)
• I have a heart wracked with sorrow.
(The participle phrase wracked with sorrow describes a heart.)
• Battered by the wind, John fell to his knees.
(The participle phrase "Battered by the wind describes john.)
• Finally broken , Lee lowered his gloves.
(The participle phrase Finally broken describes Lee.)

More Examples of Past Participles Used as Adjectives

• Here is a laminated copy to replace your torn one.
• Stuffed deer heads on walls are bad enough, but it's worse when they have streamers in their antlers because then you know they were enjoying themselves when they were shot. (Ellen DeGeneres)
• A torn jacket is soon mended, but hard words bruise the heart of a child. (Henry Longfellow)
• Scandal is gossip made tedious by morality. (Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900)
• The enemy is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on. (Joseph Heller, 1923- 1999)

Past Participles Used in Verb Tenses