Although it would sound clumsy, I think it's possible to modify the
"swollen" with "very" in that sentence:

"His heart was very swollen with sorrow"

*If* that sounds acceptable to people, it's evidence that "swollen" is
purely adjectival here. That's the best test I know of for pinning down
the difference between the two construction types.



Bill Spruiell

Dept. of English
Central Michigan University

-----Original Message-----
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Diane Allen
Sent: Monday, April 19, 2004 7:00 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Truncated passive

In the sentence "His heart was swollen with sorrow" the strictest
interpretation would dictate that "swollen with sorrow" is a subject
complement following the linking verb "was". However, could it be read
as a
truncated passive, as in "His heart was swollen (by) sorrow" with "was"
serving as a passive auxiliary?

Diane

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