be subject to/ be subjected to

I still mix these two verb phrases up. They both mean "vulnerable to / easily affected by sth negative", don't they?

Can any one justify the difference between them? Thanks a lot.

blackdie said:

I still mix these two verb phrases up. They both mean "vulnerable to / easily affected by sth negative", don't they?

Can any one justify the difference between them? Thanks a lot.

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"Be subject to" does mean that you are vulnerable or can be affected by something. It is usually followed by a general statement of something which had an effect on someone.

I was subject to the vagaries of the weather.
She was subject to her partner's terrible mood swings.

"Subjected to" means that something actually happened to you. It is followed by a specific event or a series of events.

I was subjected to torture.
She was subjected to a real tongue-lashing from her mother.

*****NOT A TEACHER *****


Here in the United States of America, everyone who goes to the airport is subject to a screening (to prevent terrorists from

getting on the airplane). In other words, they may or may not screen (check) you with a machine or even with their hands!

Not everyone is subjected to a screening. For example, the government is starting a new program. If it thinks that you are

definitely a good guy, you can get permission to board an airplane without a screening. BUT even those people will still be

subject to a screening if one of the government screeners suspects you of being a bad guy.

In other words, when you read that people are subject to something, it means that it may happen or it may not happen.

When you read that people were subjected (the passive), it means that it happened. For example, at this very moment

people in country X (I am not permitted to name the country) are being subjected to horrific violence on the part of their

country's army.