-ed分詞可以作前置定語也可以作后置定語，作后置定語時相當于一個定語從句。
1.-ed分詞可以作前置定語，此時，分詞與名詞之間有兩種語義關系：一種是分詞表示主動意義;一種是分詞表示被動意義。如：
He is a retired worker.
他是一個退休工人。
This is a newly-developed device.
這是一個新開發的工具。
2.-ed分詞作后置定語時，其功能相當于一個定語從句。如：
She likes to drink cold boiled water.
他喜歡喝涼白開。
They were inspecting the houses damaged by the storm.
他們正在視察被暴風雨毀壞的房屋。
1) Commercial banks make most of their income from ______ interest on loans and investments in stocks and bonds.
[A] earn
[B] earned
[C] to earn
[D] was earned
解析：B為正確答案。空檔前是一完整的句子，在沒有連詞的情況下，不能填充A和D;根據題意，“利息”是“通過…(被)掙來的”，有被動之意，所以選B。
2) On his return from his _______ college, he found the house.
[A] deserting
[B] deserted
[C] desert
[D] to be deserted
解析：B為正確答案。此句的意思是“房子”被“遺棄，沒人住”，是被動的意義，而A和C都不符合這一點。D是動詞不定式，一般表示將來或具體動作，所以D也不對。
3) 改錯：The age [A] of a geological sample can be estimated [B] from the ratio of radioactive to nonradioactive carbon present [C] in the object is examined [D].
解析：D錯。應去掉多余的“is”，使-ED分詞“examined”作后置定語修飾“object”。C處并沒有錯。“present”是形容詞，它與后面的成分構成形容詞短語修飾限定前面的“the ratio...carbon”。
