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Participial Adjectives and Prepositions

Describing emotional reactions

 

 

 

Participial adjectives are formed from verbs and are paired with prepositions. 

 

amused surprised convinced confused concerned frustrated

 

 

Compare active – passive – participle modifier:  
ACTIVE VOICE  (verb) PASSIVE VOICE  (verb) PARTICIPLE  MODIFIER  (adjective)

The question surprised President Bush.

President Bush was suprised (by the question.)

President Bush was surprised at/by the question.

The response confused President Bush.

President Bush was confused (by the response.)

President Bush was confused with  the response.

The news amused President Bush.

President Bush was amused (by the news.)

President Bush was amused with the news.

President Bush entertained the press.

The press was entertained (by President Bush.)

The press was entertained by President Bush

The problem concerned President Bush.

President Bush was concerned (by the problem.)

President bush was concerned with the situation.

The situation frustrated President Bush.

President Bush was frustrated (by the situation.)

President Bush was frustrated with the situation.

 

 

 

Chart of Participial Adjectives and Prepositions

All of the verbs above use 'by' in the passive voice form. These groups, or verb + preposition phrases, may vary due to dialectal variations. More than one preposition may be used with a verb.

 

ABOUT FOR OF WITH

concerned about

known for

ashamed of

amused with

confused about / by

prepared for

composed of

acquainted with

excited about

qualified for

convinced of

annoyed with

undecided about

remembered for

frightened of / by

associated with

worried about

FROM

made of / from

blessed with

AT

divorced from

scared of

bored with

alarmed at / by

made from / of

terrified of

coordinated with

amazed at / by / with

protected from

tired of

covered with

shocked at / by

removed from

TO

crowded with

surprised at / by

refrained from

accustomed to

disappointed with/in

BY

stopped from

addicted to

endowed with

confused by

separated from

committed to

filled with

embarrassed by

IN

connected to

finished with

encouraged by

disappointed in / by/ with

dedicated to

frustrated with

entertained by

dressed in

devoted to

furnished with

exhausted by

engaged in

engaged to

impressed with/by

frightened by

interested in

limited to

pleased with

impressed by

involved in

married to

satisfied with

overwhelmed by

located in

opposed to

upset with

relaxed by

AGAINST

related to

 

terrified by

discriminated against

 

 

 

 

 

Common Mistakes
ERROR FIX

He was interesting seeing the movie. 

He was interested in seeing the movie.  (Use the -ed form, past participial adjective)

I was embarrassing by what she said.

I was embarrassed by what she said.

 

 

 

 

Practice

Using Prepositions with Participial Adjectives

 

 

Decide which preposition to use with each participial modifier.
  1. Select the word from each menu that best completes the sentence. 
  2. Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right. 

Preposition usage varies within dialects.

 

# YOUR RESPONSE ANSWER
1.
2. disappointed man
3. muscle man
4. couch potato
5. wizard
6. city
7. tape
8. sea horse fish
9. kid running
10.

 

TV reporter
11 groom carrying bride
12 old-fashioned woman
   

 

 

 part+prep prac  (Participial Adjective + Preposition Phrases:  known for; concerned with; accustomed to)
Related Page:   Verb + Preposition phrases before Gerunds  |
Related Page:   Verb + Prep before Gerunds  (Verb+Preposition Phrases before Gerunds: put off doing, keep from hearing, etc.)
Related Page:    Verbs and Adjectives with Prepositions (Verb / Participle+Preposition Phrases: looking forward to seeing / interested in seeing)