participlesadjectives

Participial adjectives are adjectives formed from verb participles. In English, the most common sources are the present participle, ending in -ing (for example, running, interesting), and the past participle, often ending in -ed, -en, -t, or other forms (for example, broken, bored, hidden). Some participial adjectives may come from irregular participles or from adjectives that originated as participles.

These adjectives can occur in two main positions: attributive, directly before a noun (a broken vase, a running engine), and predicative, after a linking verb (The vase is broken, The engine is running). The -ing form often conveys ongoing action or a characteristic associated with the noun (a running joke, an interesting book). The -ed form usually describes a state resulting from an action or a sensation experienced by someone (a broken window, a bored student, a surprised crowd). Some -ed adjectives express emotional reaction (interested, bored, pleased) or a stable condition (tired, ill), while many -ing adjectives describe the nature of the thing itself (a curious mind, an exciting proposal).

Semantic nuance is important: -ing adjectives often indicate process, activity, or a subjective impression, whereas -ed adjectives commonly denote a resultant state or external condition. Some participial adjectives can be used in both forms with a shift in meaning, and many are not fully interchangeable. Comparative and superlative forms exist for many participial adjectives (more interesting, the most exciting), though some relationships differ from ordinary adjectives.

Hyphenation and ordering can vary. When used as compound modifiers before a noun, some pairs are hyphenated (a well-known author, a high-quality product), though modern style increasingly favors no hyphen in simple combinations. Participial adjectives are a productive class across English and appear in many registers, from everyday speech to formal writing.