The 'focused' example can be analyzed as having a participial adjective with an accompanying PP (it would be a complement to the participle in some approaches). You can use 'very' quite easily to modify 'focused' there.

I want to treat 'seated' the same way, but the there's less evidence. You can't use 'very', but then, 'seated' wouldn't make a gradable adjective anyway. Does "They were drowsy, and seated with their friends" work?

Bill Spruiell



On Sep 26, 2011, at 6:44 PM, "Scott Woods" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote:

Dear List,

How would you explain the verbs of the following sentences? Two are progressive, but the other two have the form of a passive but not the function of a passive. Nobody focused them or seated them. Should the past participles be described as the main verb or as a participle acting as an adjective? If they are main verbs, how should I explain this construction to children who know about passives?

They are focused on success.
They are focusing on success.
They are seated with their friends.
They are sitting with their friends.

Thanks,

Scott Woods
To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list"

Visit ATEG's web site at <http://ateg.org/> http://ateg.org/

To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at:
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html
and select "Join or leave the list"

Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/