If you added -ed to the noun scent, what part of speech is the resulting word?

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Answer 1 · 2016-02-03T21:55:20

The word scented can be used either as a $v e r b$ $color(blue)(verb)$ or an $a d j e c t i v e$ $color(red)(adjective)$ .

Here's an example of how it can be used a verb:

"All was still and Sundayfied; the lilacs in full flower $s c e n t e d$ $color(blue)(scented)$ the air."

In this case, the word scented is the action the lilacs are taking on the air, and thus functions as a verb.

Here's a slightly different example:

"James $s c e n t e d$ $color(blue)(scented)$ something suspicious in this courtesy."

In this one, the word scented is the action taken by James, used in a similar way as "James smelled something ...".

Here's an example of how it can be used as an adjective:

"Did someone light a $s c e n t e d$ $color(red)(scented)$ candle? This room suddenly smells like jasmine!"

the word scented describes the noun candle, acting as an adjective.

In this second example:

"The flower is sweet- $s c e n t e d$ $color(red)(scented)$ at night and has curiously fringed petals."

sweet-scented describes the flower, acting as a compound adjective.