现在分词作定语有两种形式。它可以放在被修饰的名词之前，称为前置定语。有的放在被修饰的名词之后，称为后置定语。

 

一. 现在分词做定语(present participle used as attributes)

（1）单个的现在分词作定语时，它总是位于被修饰的名词之前，说明被修饰名词的性质或特征等。如：

This is a very charming village. 这是一座迷人的村庄。

I learnt another astonishing fact. 我了解到另一个令人吃惊的事实。

She found herself in an embarrassing position. 她发现自己处于尴尬的地位。

He is a promising young man.  他是一个有前途的年轻人。

Make less noise. There’s a sleeping child.  不要出太大声音，有个孩子在睡觉。

He is a promising young man.他时一个有培养前途的青年。

It is a fascinating city.这是一座迷人的城市。

Wisconsin is the leading dairy state.威斯康星乳牛产品领先各州。

They are visiting in a neighbouring town.他们在临近一座城市访问。

偶尔也可见到单个的现在分词用作后置定语的情形，但主要见于有较强的动词意义时(接近一个定语从句时)：

Oh, it’s the cake burning. 噢，糕点烤焦了。

There were no soldiers drilling. 没有士兵在操练。

（2） 如果是现在分词短语作定语，则总是位于所修饰的名词之后。如：

The young man sitting between John and Mary is the editor of the campus newspaper.  坐在约翰和玛丽之间的那个年轻小伙子是校园报的编辑。

There is someone knocking at the door.有人在敲门。

I know a man working in that factory.我认识一个在那家工厂干活的人。

The girl sitting beside me is my cousin.坐在我旁边的姑娘是我的表妹。

Do you know the man talking to her?和她说话的男子你认识吗？

There is a door leading to the garden. 有一座门通往花园。

There were some children swimming in the river. 有些小孩在河里游泳。

 

（3）分词短语作定语必须置于被修饰词之后，相当于一个定语从句。如：

Those wishing to join this club should sign here.  想加入本俱乐部的人在这里签名。  (=Those who wish to join the club should sign here.)

The man, having been disturbed so badly, almost lost his memory.  由于被严重困扰，这个人几乎失去了记忆。   (The man, who had been disturbed so badly, almost lost his memory.)

（4）完成体的分词一般不作定语，若要表达完成意义最好用定语从句。如：

我们一般不说：The girl having won the race is my deskmate.

而常这样说：The girl who has won the race is my deskmate.

（5）非限定性的完成体作定语或如果分词所修饰的词是泛指则没有这个限制。如：

Anyone having passed the test has got a prize.  任何通过考试的人都能得到一份奖品。

Charlie, having lived in Paris for years, decided to return to London.  在巴黎呆过多年，查理决定重返伦敦。

 

注意: 现在分词不能做定语的情况

1. 现在分词表示的动作和谓语动词表示的动作是一先一后发生而不是同时发生时，不能用现在分词作定语，应使用定语从句表示。如：
（误） The teacher criticized the student having broken the window.
（正） The teacher criticized the student who had broken the window.
（误） Do you know anyone having lost a car ?
（正） Do you know anyone who have lost a car ?
2.being可用状语或补语，但不可作定语。如：
（误） Anybody being outside after ten o’clock will be criticized.
（正） Anybody who is outside after ten o’clock will be criticized.
3.表示经常性或已完成的非进行动作的时候，不用现在分词作定语。例如：
（误） The boy bringing us milk everyday is my brother.
（正） The boy who brings us milk everyday is my brother.

 

 

在下面句子中作定语的分词或分词短语下划线：

　　1) He is a promising young man.

　　2) It is a fascinating city.

　　3) He was one of the leading composers of the time.

　　4) Who is the girl standing on her hands?

　　5) They built a road leading to the village.

　　6) Who knows the missing words in the sentence?

　　7) My aunt told us an amusing story.

　　8) In our village live 350 families belonging to three nationalities.

　　9) There is a car waiting at the door.

　　10) Don’t wake the sleeping child.

 

 

 

二. 过去分词作定语用法（past participles used as attributes）

过去分词作定语，在语态上，表被动；在时间上，表示动作已经发生或完成，与它所修饰的名词有逻辑（意义）上的动宾关系。过去分词作定语表示动作在谓语动作之前发生，已经完成并具有被动意义。有时也不表示时间性。作定语的过去分词一般由及物动词变来，因为只有及物动词才有被动意义。

he is a teacher loved by his students.

也有用不及物动词的过去分词作定语的情况，一般作前置定语，它不表示被动意义，只表示主动意义，强调动作完成。不能像及物动词的过去分词那样放在名词后面作定语。例如：

fallen leaves   

retired workers   

the risen sun

注意一下几点：

1. 单个的过去分词作定语一般放在被修饰的名词之前。例如：

We needed much more qualified workers.

The injured workers are now being taken good care of in the hospital.

受伤的工人现正在医院受到很好的照料。

We needed much more qualified workers.我们需要更多合格的工人。

When shall we have the written test?我们什么时候考笔试？

I’ll have fried eggs.我要煎鸡蛋。

Do you like smoked fish?你喜欢熏鱼吗？

My friend is a returned student. 我的朋友是个归国留学生。

单个分词也可以作后置定语，用以强调动作。

They decided to change the material used.

Where are the reserved seats? (=Where are the seats which have been reserved?)

预定的座位在哪里？

What’s the language spoken there?那里讲什么语言？

 

2. 过去分词短语作定语要放在被修饰的名词后面，作后置定语，其作用相当于一个定语从句。

The student dressed in white is my daughter. 

=The student who is dressed in white is my daughter.)

3. 如果被修饰的词是由every/some/any/no + thing/body/one所构成的复合代词或指示代词those等时，即使一个单一的分词做定语，也要放在被修饰词的后面。 

Is there anything unsolved? 还有没解决的问题吗？

There is noting changed here since I left this town.自从我离开这个城镇以来，几乎没有什么变化。

Is there anything planned for tonight?今晚有什么计划的活动吗？

 

4. 单个过去分词前加一名词或副词，常用连字符将它们连接起来构成一个复合形容词，放在其修饰的名词前，作前置定语。分词前加的名词表示分词的动作或行为主体，所加的副词表示方式、时间、程度、性质等：

The newly-built building is our office building.这座新建的大楼是我们的办公楼。

This is a state-owned factory. 这是一家国营工厂。

This is our school-run factory. 这是我们的校办工厂。

 

 

5. 过去分词作后置定语可分为限制性（紧跟在所修饰的中心词之后）和非限制性（用逗号与其所修饰的中心词分开）两种，其作用分别相当于一个限制性定语从句和非限制性定语从句。例如：

The funds raised (= which have been raised) are mainly used for helping the homeless.

筹集的资金主要用来帮助那些无家可归的人。

He is a teacher loved by his students.

他是个很受学生爱戴的老师。

Who were the so-called guests invited (=who had been invited) to your party last night?

昨晚被邀请参加你的晚会的那些所谓的客人是谁呀?

This book, written (= which is written) in simple English, is suitable for beginners.

本书是用浅显的英语写的，适合初学者。

The student dressed in white is my daughter.

=The student who is dressed in white is my daughter. 穿白色衣服的学生是我的女儿。

 

6. 有些不及物动词的过去分词作定语，并不表示被动的意思而是表示完成。这类过去分词常作前置修饰语。例如：

There are a lot of fallen leaves in autumn.秋天有许多落叶。

The film describes the story about the police who pursue an escaped man.这部电影描述的是警察抓逃犯的事。

常用的这一类词有：fallen, faded, returned, retired, risen, grown up, vanished等。

7. 过去分词作定语时与定语从句的关系：

(1) 及物动词的过去分词可改为动词为被动形式的定语从句。

lost time—time which is lost

a well-known writer—a writer who is well- known

a beaten team—a team which is beaten

(2) 部分不及物动词的过去分词作定语时可改为动词为完成式或动词为表示状态的定语从句。

a returned soldier—a soldier who has returned

retired workers—workers who have retired

a learned man—a man who is of much learning

a sunken ship—a ship which has sunk

 

 

　1. 在下面句子作定语的过去分词或过去分词短语下划线：

　　1) This is an unexpected development.

　　2) It is also called “The Unfinished Symphony”.

　　3) Whose are the reserved seats?

　　4) England and Scotland united to become the United Kingdom.

　　5) The play put on by the students was a great success.

　　6) The experience gained will be of great value to us.

　　7) Her father is a retired professor.

　　8) The company was run by some returned students.

　　9) We held a party to welcome the newly married couple.

　　10) What do you think of the plan put forward by Professor Johnson?

　　2. 在下面句子作状语的过去分词或过去分词短语下划线：

　　1) Guided by these principles, he worked for ten years.

　　2) He returned to Shanghai, disguised as a merchant.

　　3) “You’re right!” she said, pleased.

　　4) Mr. Cooper, deeply moved, thanked them again and again.

　　5) She went home exhausted.

　　6) Greatly interested, they asked her to sing another song.

　　7) Compared to her sister, she was indeed very fortunate.

　　8) Depressed, she went home.

　　9) Urged on by hunger, he stole a loaf of bread.

　　10) Delighted with her work, they made her the general manager.

 

 

[练习]

1. First he made a list of the names of those ______. Then he began to write the invitation cards.

A. invited                 B. being invited

C. to be invited       D. having been invited

2. The first textbooks _____ for teaching English as a foreign language came out in the 16th century.

A. having written    B. to be written

C. being written                     D. written

3. This method, ______ in areas near Shanghai, ______ in a marked rise in total production.

A. trying; resulting                B. tried; resulted 

C. trying; resulted                 D. tried; resulting

4. The Olympic Games, _____ in 776 B. C., did not include women players until 1912.

A. first played               B. to be first played

C. first playing              D. to be first playing

5. When I got back home I saw a message pinned to the door , _____ “Sorry to miss you; will call later.”

A. read     B. reads    C. to read   D. reading

6. The picture _____ on the wall is painted by my nephew.

A. having hung                              B. hanging

C. hang                        D. being hung

7. Next he is going to write a science story about outer space _____ by Science and Technology Press.

A. published                B. being published   

C. to be published         D. publishing

8. The lady said she would buy a gift for her daughter with the _____.

A. 20 dollars remained   B. 20 dollars to remain

C. remained 20 dollars    D. remaining 20 dollars

9. The Yellow River, ______ to be “the mother river”, runs across China like a huge dragon.

A. saying              B. to say      

C. said                                  D. being said

10. The _____ boy was last seen _____ near the East Lake.

A. missing; playing B. missing; play

C. missed; played          D. missed; to play

Key: 1-5 CDBAD  6-10 BCDCA

 

 

 

三. 现在分词和过去分词都可以作定语修饰名词，它们的区别主要表现在语态和时间关系上。
　　首先，在语态上不同：现在分词表示主动的意思，而过去分词多表示被动的意思。请比较：
　　1、surprising news 使人吃惊的消息
surprised listeners 吃惊的听众
　　2、an exciting movie 令人激动的电影
excited children 激动的孩子
　　3、The teacher told his students a lot of interesting stories. 老师给学生讲了许多有趣的故事。
She is interested in Chinese. 她对汉语感兴趣。

值得注意的是，有一些过去分词由不及物动词变来，它们只表示一个动作已完成，没有被动的意味。例如：fallen leaves 落叶（已经落下的树叶），the exploded bomb 已爆炸的炸弹 a retired miner 退休的矿工，returned students 归国的留学生。
其次，时间关系上不同：一般来说，现在分词表示的动作往往正在进行，而过去分词所表示的动作往往已经完成。请比较：
　　1、the changing world 正在发生变化的世界
the changed world 已经变化了的世界
　　2、boiling water 正在开的水
boiled water 已经煮开过的水（可能是凉开水）
　　3、developing countries 发展中国家
developed countries 发达国家