Would everyone agree that, when considering single-word modifiers of nouns, we may reasonably distinguish between adjectives and participles on one hand and nouns and gerunds on the other? Adjectives and participles share with each other properties that they do not share with nouns and gerunds modifying nouns. Adjectives and participles can -- be compounded (small and flimsy, beaten and mocked) -- be serial or coordinate (hard, stale bread; polluted, stinking waters) -- be placed before a noun, after a noun, and before determiners (Hungry and thirsty, the campers devoured the meal; bleeding and limping, my friends returned to camp.) In view of this, may adjectives and participles be treated together when we are instructing students in their use? Because participles so often convey such a distinctively verby feeling, it might seem better to treat them separately, including them with participle phrases, but they are so often used together with adjectives -- angry and insulted, she left the room; the happy, smiling students received their diplomas -- that I'm wondering what others think. ******************************************************************************* Michael Kischner North Seattle Community College 9600 College Way North Seattle, WA 98103 (206) 528-4540 FAX (206) 527 3784 email [log in to unmask] *******************************************************************************