[Grammar] Past participle

[tiptonic]

Hi there,

I always have trouble with this grammar issue. Why do we use past participle on issue that haven't occur yet?

Examples:

1) please keep this door locked at all times.


2) we have not advanced our interest.


3) I don't want to get involved.

Any help or links to provide relating this issue will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[tiptonic]

Here's another example:

Probability of adverse events that have not yet occurred: a ...

Thanks!

 

[Roman55]

I am not a teacher.

In 1. 'locked' is an adjective. The door is locked or unlocked. It is a state.

2. is a negation of the affirmative sentence, 'We have advanced our interest'. We have or we have not. It has nothing to do with something that hasn't yet occurred.

In 3. 'involved' is an adjective.

The answer to the question in post #2 is the same as 2. above.

Is your native language really English?

 

[tiptonic]

Hi Roman55

Thanks for responding.

For#2, Would it be correct to say "We have advance our interest" without adding the "d" at the end of advance? If it is not correct, why?

Thanks!

 

[Roman55]

I am not a teacher.

No, it wouldn't be correct. We have is either followed by a verb conjugated in the present perfect or by the to infinitive.

'We have advanced', or 'We have to advance'.

 

[tiptonic]

Hi Roman55,

Thanks again for replying. Are you able to provide any links so I can further read up on this issue?

I've been using the English language for a long time. However, when you speak the language, you miss these details.

Thanks!

 

[Barb_D]

Your mistake comes from thinking of the third form of the verb, the participle (advance, advanced, advanced), as the past.
The third form is used many ways -- with present and past perfect, for example: I have advanced, I had advanced.
It's also used as an adjective: The locked door, the tilted house.

Some verbs have the same form for past and participle. Some do not (sing, sang, sung). Just because they look the same does not mean they are the same.

 

[tiptonic]

Hi Barb_D

Yes, you understand my problem perfectly. Is there any information (link to a webpage or reading) that you could provide that would solve this issue?

Thanks!

 

[tiptonic]

Alternatively, if you could describe this problem, I will search for it myself.

Thanks!

 

[bhaisahab]

For a description of past participles as adjectives you could try here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv325.shtml
You could also search for "irregular verbs in English".

 

[tiptonic]

Thanks bhaisahab, I'll give it a try.

 

[Tarheel]

We have a list of irregular verbs on the website.

 

[Barb_D]

See if this link is at all useful: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/engagement/2/1/39/

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

What's your original language?

 

[tiptonic]

OK after two days of research, I finally figured out that I am having problem with using Present Perfect Tense. I think the reason for this is because sometimes it's not so transparent.

For example: speaking to person X: "I miss person Y". How come we don't use "I missed person Y" to indicate this is a continuing situation rather it means that it happened in the past but not anymore?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Barb_D]

Use the past (missed) for a situation that is completed.

Your post above doesn't have present perfect in it.

Please review this page: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/601/01/

 

[tiptonic]

Here's another example that is confusing me.

We are allowed to have this <- this is correct.
However, it's incorrect to say it without the "ed" - we are allow to have this.

why?

Thanks!

 

[bhaisahab]

Here's another example that is confusing me.

We are allowed to have this <- this is correct.
However, it's incorrect to say it without the "ed" - we are allow to have this.

why?

Thanks!

It is not correct to say "We are allow to have this".

 

[Barb_D]

Have you read any if the references?

 

[tiptonic]

Hi Barb_D

Sorry, but could you please provide the link(s) to this one. I did browse through the references yesterday before posting my latest question but had no luck find the answer.

Thanks!