Page 238 - English - Teaching Academic Esl Writing

224 CHAPTER 9
these constructions as shortened (reduced) adjective clauses (see chap. 10). For example,
nations [that are] developing -> developing nations
the research [that is] amazing ->• the amazing research
(2) Past participles that end in -ed or take the -en form (e.g., reported, lost, hidden) mark passive adjectives (i.e., the noun that they modify does not per- form the action but some other entity does). For example,
the data [that are] reported -> the reported data
the continent [that is] lost -> the lost continent
The distinction between -ing and -ed forms of participial adjectives is often difficult for students, and such errors as 7 am boring with this book or / am confusing about the homework are common. Emphasizing active or pas- sive (doing and receptive) functions of these adjectives is particularly helpful and can clarify a great deal of misunderstanding about the usage of these adjectivals. For example, in the sentence 7 am boring or 7 am con-
fusing, areyouperforming/doing theaction?areyouboring/confusing (to)some- one?orissomethingelseperforming theaction?inthiscase,areyouboringor bored? confusing or confused? Looking at the pairs boring teacher—bored stu- dents and boring students—bored teacher, can you tell me how this bor- ing/bored structureworks?
It is important to note, however, that most active or passive participial ad- jectives in English are lexicalized (i.e., they do not follow particular syntactic rules and can be impossible to derive; Hinkel, 2002d; Owen, 1993; Palmer, 1990, 1994). Thus, those constructions that students need to use frequently intheirwritingsimplyhavetobelearned asset(orfixed)expressions (e.g.,a
winding road, a long-winded speaker).
(3) One-word adjectives of any type precede the noun they describe as in reported data orforgotten legends. On the other hand, adjectivalphrases are placed after the noun and do not move from their original position:
the objects [that are] moving slowly approach one another -> the objects moving slowly approach one another
the couples [that are] described in thejournal article -> the couples described in thejournal article
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