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Consider theses sentences of mine, please:

  1. The meeting remains cancelled till further notice.
  2. The meeting will remain cancelled till further notice.
  3. The meeting is cancelled till further notice.
  4. The meeting will be cancelled till further notice.

Which one(s) is (are) correct? Is "cancelled" an adjective in all of the sentences?

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  • 2
    Please don't ask this type of question. Thank you.
    – Lambie
    Commented Jul 21, 2020 at 20:27
  • Is it the case, and is it understood by the readers, that the meeting is a regular one, i.e., that it occurs more than once in the future?
    – rcook
    Commented Jul 21, 2020 at 22:29

1 Answer 1

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The first and third are fine.

"Cancelled" is a perfect participle, also called a passive participle. It is used adjectivally in sentences 1 and 2. It is purely terminological preference whether, in sentences 23 and 4, it is described as part of a verb phrase or as a participle used adjectivally.

Many will say that sentences 2 and 4 are equally good as 1 and 3. I prefer using the present tense to make absolutely clear that the cancellation applies now as well as to an indefinite future. I may be excessively fussy.

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  • "Cancelled" is a perfect participle---isn't it a past participle?
    – Mr. X
    Commented Jul 22, 2020 at 5:12
  • 1
    It is not helpful terminology in my opinion to refer to "past participle." It is true that what can be usefully called the passive or perfect participle is usually the same as the verb form used to show the active past tense, but that is not true for irregular or strong verbs. We say "broken window" rather than "broke window." "Broken" can be used as an adjective or to form passive or perfect verb forms; it does not form the past tense. But I shall not dispute terminology.
    – Jeff Morrow
    Commented Jul 22, 2020 at 14:39

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