To MikeNew York

[Anonymous]

wendy wrote:
"It's sad, isn't it? All these older guys partying way past their
prime."

"Partying", there, is the present participle of "to party". It is being used as an adjective there, modifying "guys".

It means, It's sad (i.e. pathetic), isn't it? that all these guys are partying way past their prime."

The phrase 'that all these guys are partying past their time' refers to "It" of "It's sad" (i.e. That all these guys are partying way past there time is sad, isn't it?). What's sad ~ pathetic is that partying (i.e. drinking, dancing, having fun, etc.) is usually associated with youth. The words 'past their prime' refers to the guys being older than the partying age. The word 'partying' functions as noun, a gerund. The entire phrase 'partying past their prime' modifies 'All these older guys':

1. so it's gerund or participle??

2. so "all these older guys partying way past their prime""
is "These guys are partying way past their prime" why don't we have to put are in front of "partying"??

[Tdol]

We're using the participle as an adjective, so we don't use 'be'.

[MikeNewYork]

wendy wrote:
"It's sad, isn't it? All these older guys partying way past their
prime."

"Partying", there, is the present participle of "to party". It is being used as an adjective there, modifying "guys".

It means, It's sad (i.e. pathetic), isn't it? that all these guys are partying way past their prime."

The phrase 'that all these guys are partying past their time' refers to "It" of "It's sad" (i.e. That all these guys are partying way past there time is sad, isn't it?). What's sad ~ pathetic is that partying (i.e. drinking, dancing, having fun, etc.) is usually associated with youth. The words 'past their prime' refers to the guys being older than the partying age. The word 'partying' functions as noun, a gerund. The entire phrase 'partying past their prime' modifies 'All these older guys':

1. so it's gerund or participle??

In the original, it is a participle. I think Cas's remark referred to her variation: What's sad ~ pathetic is that partying (i.e. drinking, dancing, having fun, etc.) is usually associated with youth.

In that variation, "partying" is a gerund-noun. It is the subject of "partying is usually associated with youth."

2. so "all these older guys partying way past their prime""
is "These guys are partying way past their prime" why don't we have to put are in front of "partying"??

In the first case, "partying" is a participle-adjective.
In the second case, "partying" is a participle used to form (with "to be") a progressive verb. They are different structures. :wink: