Passive or adjective?

[Mazen]

Hi all

This is my first question :?
The sentence:
I'm finished.
Regarding to my study it should be a passive statement, because FINISHED is the past participle of FINISH. However, I actually feel it isn't. it should be an adjective statement.:!:

Your advice please

Thanks in advance
Mazen

 

[Tdol]

There is a grey area where the adjective and the passive blur. However, can this sentence be put into the active?
X finished me.

In this case, it seems to me that it is an adjective as I cannot make it active, nor can I add an agent- I'm finished by....
;-)

 

[MikeNewYork]

Hi all

This is my first question :?
The sentence:
I'm finished.
Regarding to my study it should be a passive statement, because FINISHED is the past participle of FINISH. However, I actually feel it isn't. it should be an adjective statement.:!:

Your advice please

Thanks in advance
Mazen

I agree with TDOL. It is sometimes difficult to differentiate a past participle used as a predicate adjective (after the linking verb "to be") and a passive voice construction (To be + past participle). Usually context will help. In this case, "finished" refers to the speaker's state and is an adjective.

Consider these:

I was tired by the journey. (passive voice; the journey tired me)
I was tired by the end of the journey. (adjective; state of being)

In the second example it was not the "end of the journey" that tired me.

 

[Tdol]

Good examples. ;-)

 

[MikeNewYork]

Good examples. ;-)

Thanks. :wink:

 

[Mazen]

tdol, and MikeNewYork thank you very much

 

[MikeNewYork]

tdol, and MikeNewYork thank you very much

You're welcome. :wink: