Usage of verbal adjectives

Members help members on grammar, vocab, pronunciation...

Moderator: EC

Post Reply
Lignator
Member
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Nov 16, 2018 10:11 pm
Status: Learner of English

Usage of verbal adjectives

Post by Lignator »

What do the following phrases mean?

A) enslaving developers
Does it mean 1) developers who enslave people or 2) the act of enslaving some developers?

Also, how does using the definitive article THE change the meaning of the original phrase?
B) the enslaving developers
C) enslaving the developers

Thank you in advance.
User avatar
Joe
Admin/Teacher
Admin/Teacher
Posts: 1797
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2003 6:56 am
Status: Teacher of English
Location: England

Re: Usage of verbal adjectives

Post by Joe »

Without context A is ambiguous and could be 1 or 2.

B = 1
C = 2
"We are not wholly bad or good, who live our lives under Milk Wood :-| " — Dylan Thomas, Under Milk Wood

eBooks: English Prepositions List | Essential Business Words | Learn English in Seven
Post Reply