[Grammar] position of past participle adjective

[wynnmyintuu]

Please explain why some past participles are always placed before the nouns they modified, for example: "broken heart", "fallen hero", and others are always placed after the nouns they modified, for example: "time taken", "work done".

 

[jutfrank]

We often place past participles after the noun when writing notes in short form. For example:

time taken: 32 minutes
distance travelled: 7.6 km
calories burnt: 250

 

[Raymott]

Sometimes it can go either way.
"The amount donated was $100." or "The donated amount was $100."
"The sentence given was 6 years." or "The given sentence was 6 years."
"The pictured girl is Jane." - The girl pictured ..."
Plenty more.

 

[TheParser]

NOT A TEACHER


Hello, Wynnmyintuu:

I just thought that you'd like to know about an American television program that discusses people with unusual bodies.

For example, this week one segment will discuss a man who has a hand that belonged to a dead person.

The title of the TV show is NOT "Bizarre Bodies."

It is called Body Bizarre.

 

[bubbha]

In each example above in which the participle comes after the noun, an optional "that + be" phrase has been omitted.

time taken -> time that has been taken
amount donated -> amount that was donated
work done -> work that is done