大学英语四级语法精要：分词

分词

意义: 过去分词通常来自及物动词, 带有被动意义和完成意义; 而现在分词有的来自及物动词, 有的来自不及物动词, 通常带有主动意义和未完成意义.

frozen food a freezing wind
a bored traveller a boring journey
a lost cause a losing battle
a conquered army a conquering army
a finished article the last finishing touch
the spoken word a speaking bird
a closed shop the closing hour
a recorded talk a recording machine

来自不及物动词的过去分词很少能单独用作前置修饰语, 能作这样用的仅限于下面几个词, 仅表示完成意义, 不表示被动意义.
the risen sun, fallen leaves, faded/withered flowers, returned students, retired workers, departed friends, escaped prisoners, the vanished jewels, newly-arrived visitors

用作后置修饰语的过去分词一般都带有修饰语或其他成分, 在意义上相当于关系分句.
Most of the people invited to the reception were old friends.