Skill 5: Be careful of past participles.

Past participles can cause confusion in the structure section of the TOEFL test because a past participle can be either an adjetive or a part of a verb. The past participle is the form of the verb that appears with have or be. It often ends in -ed, but there are also many irregular past participles in English.

The family has purchased a television.
VERB
The poem was written by Paul.
VERB

In the first sentence the past participle purchased is part of the verb because it is accompanied by has. In the second sentence the past participle written is part of the verb because it is accompanied by was.
A past participle is an adjective when it is not accompanied by some form of be or have.

The television purchased yesterday was expensive.
ADJECTIVE

The poem written by Paul appeared in the magazine.
ADJECTIVE

In the first sentence purchased is an adjective rather than verb because it is not accompanied by a form of be or have (and there is a verb, was, later in the sentence). In the second sentence written is an adjective rather than a verb because it is not accompanied by a form of be or have (and there is a verb, appeared, later in the sentence.)

PAST PARTICIPLE

A past participle often ends in -ed, but there are also many irregular past participles. for many verbs, including -ed verbs, the simple past and the past participle are the same and can be easily confused. The -ed form of the verb can be (1) the simple past, (2) the past participle of a verb, or (3) an adjective.

1.- She painted this picture.
2.- She has painted this picture.
3.- The picture painted by Karen is now in a museum.