2

Is there any logic/ Trick to identify if the word was used as adjective or verb?

e.g.

Level has been reduced to one.
My pen has been broken.
Gold had been stolen.

In above sentence the word reduced, Broken, Stolen, can be use and verb if we use agent.

e.g

Level has been reduced by administrator.
My pen has been broken by my friend.
Gold had been stolen by thief.

Also if I use time expression like since then the word reduced, Broken, stolen would be use as adjective.

e.g.

Level has been reduced since last year.
Since yesterday my pen has been broken.
Gold had been stolen but police are clueless.

Improve this question
2
  • The agent is implicit in the passive forms lacking a "by-phrase". "The stolen gold lay on the table." There, stolen is an adjective.
    – TimR
    Commented Jul 6, 2015 at 11:19
  • There are various tricks, e.g you can normally use "very" before an adjective but not before a verb (The jacket was very moth-eaten but not The sandwich was very eaten), but no rule applies in all cases, so you have to use your judgment.
    – Stuart F
    Commented Aug 4, 2022 at 14:16

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
0

Either you have clear indications for a passive as by + passive agent or you have to decide by logic whether the structure describes a passive action or a state. In some cases both views can be right.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .