在英語里,形容詞可以修飾名詞，分詞(包括現(xiàn)在分詞和過去分詞)也可以修飾名詞。久而久之，很多分詞已經(jīng)轉(zhuǎn)化為形容詞。這樣的形容詞和修飾名詞的分詞，在意義和用法上，有何不同呢?
㈠從現(xiàn)在分詞轉(zhuǎn)化的形容詞只反映名詞的特點，但現(xiàn)在分詞則表示名詞的動作。例如：
① It is an interesting story.(有趣的)
② Tom spoke with trembling fingers.(顫抖的)
第一句的“interesting”表示名詞“story”的特點，所以是形容詞;第二句的“trembling”表示名詞“fingers”的動作，所以是現(xiàn)在分詞。
㈡現(xiàn)在分詞轉(zhuǎn)化的形容詞可以冠以“very, extremely, so”等程度副詞(adverbs of degree)，而且還可以作比較。例如：
③ That was a very illuminating example.
④ Jim is an extremely promising young man.
⑤ This story book is more interesting than that one.
⑥ The film we saw yesterday was the most moving one we have ever seen.
上述的程度副詞和比較式不可加到現(xiàn)在分詞去，因此⑦和⑧是錯的：
⑦ He spoke with very trembling fingers.
⑧ Her right eye is more sparkling than her left eye.
㈢過去分詞轉(zhuǎn)化的形容詞表示名詞的特色，但過去分詞修飾名詞時則反映動作的結(jié)果。例如：
⑨ Henry is an experienced teacher.
⑩ There are many talented people in China.
11 No one can enter through that locked door.
12 Is Ng Min a spoilt child?
⑨和⑩是轉(zhuǎn)化形容詞;╆和╇是過去分詞。
㈣由過去分詞轉(zhuǎn)化的形容詞可以冠以程度副詞“too, so, very ”等，如：
13 Hawker centres in Singapore are very crowded places.
14 Samual was too upset to say anything.
15 The winner was so agitated that he could not utter a single word.
此外，有些轉(zhuǎn)化形容詞還可以變成狀態(tài)副詞，即有“-ly”的副詞，如：
16 determinedly; confusedly; excitedly; expectedly; supposedly.
反之，過去分詞既不可以冠以程度副詞，也不可變成狀態(tài)副詞。
最后，有些轉(zhuǎn)化形容詞里的“-ed”語音和過去分詞的不同，如：
17a.blessed/blesid/“神圣的”
b.blessed/blest/“求神保佑”
18a.crooked/krukid/“彎曲的”
b.crooked/krukt/“使彎曲”
19a.learned/l3:nid/“博學的”
b.learned/l3:nd/“學習”
17a, 18a和19a屬轉(zhuǎn)化形容詞;17b, 18b和19b則是過去分詞。
