在英語里,形容詞可以修飾名詞，分詞(包括現在分詞和過去分詞)也可以修飾名詞。久而久之，很多分詞已經轉化為形容詞。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從現在分詞轉化的形容詞只反映名詞的特點，但現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，所以是現在分詞。

㈡現在分詞轉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是轉化形容詞;╆和╇是過去分詞。

㈣由過去分詞轉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，有些轉化形容詞還可以變成狀態副詞，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，也不可變成狀態副詞。

最后，有些轉化形容詞里的“-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”

18a.crooked/krukid/“彎曲的”

b.crooked/krukt/“使彎曲”

19a.learned/l3:nid/“博學的”

b.learned/l3:nd/“學習”

17a, 18a和19a屬轉化形容詞;17b, 18b和19b則是過去分詞。