# Verbs as adjectives **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 19, 2008, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbs-as-adjectives/441998 "2008-03-19T22:26:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_and_a_Half_Inches_of_Fun)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbs-as-adjectives/441998/1 "2008-03-19T22:26:53Z")
Can all verbs function as adjectives in the form of a participle? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbs-as-adjectives/441998/2 "2008-03-19T22:29:24Z")
never mind ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbs-as-adjectives/441998/3 "2008-03-19T22:58:26Z")
I have no fucking idea. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbs-as-adjectives/441998/4 "2008-03-19T23:07:01Z")
I think you need to clarify the question. Auxiliary verbs do have a participle form, like being or having, but you cannot substitute them in phrases like the one \*\*lissener \*\* used. They can be used in participial phrases, though. ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbs-as-adjectives/441998/5 "2008-03-20T03:21:10Z")
This will be a running debate. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbs-as-adjectives/441998/6 "2008-03-20T03:33:47Z")
[QUOTE=Exapno Mapcase] I think you need to clarify the question. Auxiliary verbs do have a participle form, like being or having, but you cannot substitute them in phrases like the one \*\*lissener \*\* used. They can be used in participial phrases, though. [/QUOTE] Even if they can’t be plugged into just any phrase, there are constructions where they may be adjectivals (non-adjectives being used as adjectives). There has been debate over whether they are [participles or gerunds](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerund#Gerunds_and_present_participles) in those constructions. ---
**Author:** ![Hellestal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ab097/32.png) [@Hellestal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hellestal)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbs-as-adjectives/441998/7 "2008-03-20T04:43:22Z")
[QUOTE=Two and a Half Inches of Fun] Can all verbs function as adjectives in the form of a participle? [/QUOTE] For an obvious example, modal auxiliaries do not have a gerund-participle form and thus cannot function as adjectives. Compare: a running debate - a musting debate - a shoulding debate I don’t know anything about the previous discussion, so I don’t really know how to answer any other questions that might’ve sparked this thread. But the answer to the question, as asked, is a clear no. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbs-as-adjectives/441998/8 "2008-03-20T11:40:19Z")
Apart from those English verbs that have no participle form (like “can”, “may” and “shall”) , I’m having trouble thinking of how you could use “being” or “having” as an adjective. I’m not saying it would be totally wrong, just that any such usage would be pretty odd. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbs-as-adjectives/441998/9 "2008-03-20T18:10:52Z")
> [@](#): > > Apart from those English verbs that have no participle form (like “can”… My mother owns many canning jars. Ow, stop throwing things at me! ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbs-as-adjectives/441998/10 "2008-03-20T18:42:44Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] Ow, stop throwing things at me! [/QUOTE] Be glad we’re just throwing cans at you. The jars could cause a lot more damage. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2008, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verbs-as-adjectives/441998/11 "2008-03-20T18:48:34Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] My mother owns many canning jars. Ow, stop throwing things at me! [/QUOTE] Right – there are two verbs “can” in English (and also you can can can, if you are a dancer). The auxiliary verb meaning “be able to” has only two forms, “can” and “could”, has no infinitive “\*to can”, and has no participles. The verb meaning to put food, etc., into tin cans is a completely regular verb – “can”, “he cans”, “canned”, “canning”. The two verbs are unrelated. The first was in Old English; the second is a shortened form of the noun “cannister”.