依據詞尾可以識別很多形容詞。形容詞的壹大子類也可以根據詞尾在形式上區分，這便是以ed，和ing為詞尾的詞語：
-ed形式computerized, determined, excited, misunderstood, renowned, self-centred, talented, unknown
-ing 形式annoying, exasperating, frightening, gratifying, misleading, thrilling, time-consuming, worrying
記住，有些-ed形式並不以-ed為詞尾，如misunderstood 和unknown。這種說法僅僅是對這種形式的總稱。以-ed 或 -ing結尾的形容詞被稱作分詞形容詞，因為它們有著與動詞分詞相同的詞尾 (he was training for the Olympics, he had trained for the Olympics)。某些情況下，存在壹個和形容詞對應的動詞(to annoy, to computerize, to excite, 等等)，但也有些這類的形容詞沒有與之對應的動詞（*to renown, *to self-centre, *to talent）。和其他形容詞壹樣，分詞形容詞通常可以用very, extremely, 或 less來修飾(very determined非常確定, extremely self-centred極度自我中心, less frightening不那麽嚇人, 等等)。它們還能用 more和 most 來形成比較和最高級 (annoying, more annoying, most annoying)。最後，大多數分詞形容詞既可以用作定語，又可以用作表語。
定語 表語
That's an irritating noise 那是令人惱火的噪音That noise is irritating 那噪音令人惱火
This is an exciting film 這是部精彩的電影。This film is exciting 這部電影挺精彩。
He's a talented footballer 他是個天才的足球運動員。That footballer is talented 那個足球運動員很有天分。
很多沒有對應動詞的分詞形容詞由名詞和分詞組合而成。
alcohol-based chemicals 醇基化學品
battle-hardened soldiers 久經沙場的士兵
drug-induced coma 藥物性昏迷
energy-saving devices 省力的裝置
fact-finding mission 尋求事實的任務
purpose-built accommodation 專用住房
這些詞語也可以用作表語（the chemicals are alcohol-based化學品是醇基的, the soldiers were battle-hardened士兵們久經沙場，等等）。
當分詞形容詞用作表語時，有時會難以區分它們是形容詞還是動詞。
[1] the workers are striking
在上下文不清楚的情況下，striking的語法狀態是不確定的。下面將句子擴充，可以看出作為形容詞和動詞的不同理解。
[1a] the workers are very striking in their new uniforms (=`impressive', `conspicuous') 工人們穿著新制服非常醒目（＝“令人印象深刻”的，“引人註目”的）
[1b] the workers are striking outside the factory gates (=`on strike') 工人們在工廠大門外舉行罷工（＝正在罷工）
比較以下這組句子
[2] the noise is annoying 噪音令人厭煩
[3] the noise is annoying the neighbours 噪音正煩擾鄰居
在[2]中，我們可以用very來修飾annoying。
[2a] the noise is (very) annoying 噪音（非常）令人厭煩
但是我們不能在句 [3]中以同樣的方式來修飾它。
[3a] *the noise is (very) annoying the neighbours
[2a]可以成立，說明在這個句型結構裏 annoying是形容詞。在句[3]中，我們不能像[3a]那樣加very，由此證明了annoying的動詞屬性。更進壹步的證據是neighbours（直接賓語）緊接在後annoying。註意我們還可以將句[3]變成被動句 (the neighbours were annoyed by the noise鄰居們被噪音煩擾)。在此例中，annoying是句子的主動詞，緊接在進行體助動詞is的後面。在[2]中，動詞只有壹個，即主動詞is。
我們可以依照同樣的標準對以下詞語進行辨析。
形容詞 動詞
This film is terrifying電影很嚇人This film is terrifying the children電影把孩子們嚇著了
Your comments are alarming 妳的評論令人擔心Your comments are alarming the people妳的評論讓人們擔心了
The defendant's answers were misleading 被告的回答有誤導性。The defendant's answers were misleading the jury被告的回答在誤導陪審團
如果-ing形式可以轉換為非進行體動詞，那麽我們也可以認定-ing 形式是動詞。
進行體 非進行體
The children are dancing 孩子們正在跳舞The children dance孩子們跳舞
My eyes are stinging我的眼睛正感到刺痛My eyes sting我的眼睛感到刺痛
The wood is drying 木頭正在變幹The wood dries 木頭變幹了
將進行體到非進行體的變化與下面的轉換作比較：
the work is rewarding工作有成效 ~*the work rewards
the job was exacting這工作費勁~*the job exacted
your paper was interesting妳的論文有意思~*your paper interested
在這些例子中，非進行體的句子不符合語法規則，這意味著它們用作形容詞。
相似的不確定性也出現在-ed形式中。同樣，我們壹般可以用very來確定- -ed詞是形容詞還是動詞。
The bomb was detonated炸彈被引爆了~*The bomb was very detonated
This document is hand-written文件是手寫的~*This document is very hand-written
My house was built in only twelve weeks我的房子只花了12個星期就蓋起來了~*My house was very built in only twelve weeks
Ten people were killed十人被殺 ~*Ten people were very killed
這些例子中不能加very，說明它們是動詞而非形容詞。不過，用這壹方法檢驗-ed形式沒有-ing形式準，因為very有時既可以用於形容詞、又可以用於動詞結構。
形容詞 動詞
I was embarrassed 我感到很尷尬
I was very embarrassed 我感到非常尷尬I was embarrassed by your behaviour 妳的行為讓我難堪
was very embarrassed by your behaviour妳的行為讓我非常難堪I
She was surprised 她感到驚訝
She was very surprised 她感到很驚訝She was surprised by my reaction 我的反應讓她驚訝
She was very surprised by my reaction 我的反應讓她很驚訝
出現by-施動者短語(by your behaviour, by my reaction)意味著-ed 形式的動詞詞性。反過來，出現補語如that-從句意味著-ed 形式的形容詞詞性。比較下面兩個句式：
形容詞The jury was convinced that the defendant was innocent陪審團相信被告是無辜的
動詞The jury was convinced by the lawyer's argument陪審團被律師的論證給說服了
以下是更多形容詞結構（帶補語）和動詞結構（帶by-施動者短語）的例子。
形容詞 動詞
I was delighted to meet you again我很高興再次遇見妳 I was delighted by his compliments我為他的恭維而高興
John is terrified of losing his job約翰害怕丟掉工作John is terrified by his boss約翰對老板感到害怕
I was frightened that I'd be late我恐怕會遲到I was frightened by your expression我被妳的表情嚇著了
I was disappointed to hear your decision我聽到妳的決定感到失望I was disappointed by your decision 我為妳的決定感到失望
如果-ed形式是動詞，我們可以把它所在的被動句換成主動句。
被動:I was delighted by his compliments我為他的恭維感到高興
主動:His compliments delighted me他的恭維讓我感到高興
關於更多主動句和被動句的說明，請見 ...
正如我們所見，形容詞和動詞結構的區分有時是由附加語境、如by-施動者短語或形容詞補語所促成的。不過，當這些標識都不出現時，語法上的不確定性依然存在。請看下面來自英語會話的例子。
And you know if you don't know the simple command how to get out of something you're sunk [S1A-005-172]而且妳知道，如果妳不知道怎樣從中脫身的簡單指令，妳就完蛋了
But that's convenient because it's edged with wood isn't it [S1A-007-97]不過那倒方便了，因為它以木頭為邊，不是嗎
就-ed 和-ing 的分詞形式來說， 如果不存在對應的動詞，語法上的不確定性也就不存在了。例如，在the job was time-consuming（工作耗時）和the allegations were unfounded（指控毫無根據）中，分詞形式都是形容詞。
與此相似，如果主動詞是be，問題也不會出現。例如，this book seems boring （這本書似乎很乏味） 和he remained offended （他依然受到冒犯）中，分詞形式都是形容詞。比較下面句子：
John was depressed約翰很消沈
John felt depressed 約翰感到沮喪