Guest  +  104308 Tue, 31 May 05 12:30 PM Hello, How do you differentiate between passive or noun compliment? eg. Sam is married. Noun Compliment : Sam is a married man. Passive : Sam is married by some one. eg. Letter is written Noun compliment: Letter is not empty but has some written word Passive : Someone writes the letter. sam Guest Nouns

	Mister Micawber  +  104324 Tue, 31 May 05 02:06 PM Sometimes it's difficult; sometimes it's impossible. If it seems like a condition, and we don't care how the subject got that way, then it's an adjective complement of the noun: He's married. I'm tired. They're excited. If it suggests the activity, and we are curious as to who or what caused it, then it is passive voice: Buffalo are hunted. Heroes are made, not born. I think you'll find the complement much more likely in simple copulative sentences without a specified agent. The passive will appear more frequently in perfect and other forms, which reflect activity much better: She has been arrested. They are going to be married. Mister Micawber Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004 Yokohama Veteran Member 30,807 'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.' Nouns

	senthilvelann  +  104500 Wed, 01 Jun 05 05:16 AM Dear Teachers, In noun complement "be" is used as an ordinary verb. And in the passive construction "be" is used as an auxiliary verb. So, when present/past participle used as an adjective gives us ambiguous picture. Because "be' could either be a ordinary verb or an auxiliary verb. Mr.MM's comments are suffice to clarify these points. Now, I am also interested to know if there are any other points to have more clarity on this subject. Thanks, MSN. senthilvelann Joined on Fri, Mar 25 2005 Full Member 107 Verbs, Constructions, Nouns, Auxiliaries