有一读者问： 如何理解分析下面一句中的过去分词gathered:
(1)Soon there was an army of brave Scotsmen gathered around him.
有一种过去分词，与一般过去分词不同。它在语法上叫做主动(active)或不及物(intransitive)过去分词。这种过去分词表主动，不表被动；是不及物，不是及物；这种过去分词大致可分为两类，一类是相当于完成时态，但不强调动作，只表状态，如：
(2)He is gone .
(3)He is drunk .
(4)She had been to Shanghai, and was now returned .
(5)Now the sun is risen .
(6)The fields were grown parched and yellow.
(7)I am determined to go on.
也常相当于形容词，如：
(8)a retired worker
(9)a withered flower
(10)a deserted village
(11)a returned student
(12)an escaped convict
另一类则表比较固定的状态，常与状语连用，置于其所修饰的名词之后，上述句（1）中的gathered即属于这一类，再如：
(13)He was twenty-six, huge and sallow and dark, like a deity descended from Olympus.
(14)He lay huddled up in a corner.
(15)He is well read in poetry.
(16)I saw many distinguished persons assembled in the garden.
这种过去分词自然也可以独立使用，不与状语搭配，如：
(17)By the back door Dolly crouched, huddled and shaking.
