complicate vs. complicated

[sweetpumpkin]

Hello,

I looked up several dictionaries, and many of them says complicate can be used as an adjective meaning 'complex' 'involved'. Then, how is different from 'complicated'?

For example,

_______ application procedures have resulted in a drop in interest in our investment and other financial services packages.

(A) Complicating
(B) Complicated
(C) Complicates
(D) Complicate

The answer is (B). How about (D)? I know complicate is used almost as a verb, right? But if it could be used as an adjective, can it fill in the blank above?

Thank you in advance,

sweetpumpkin

[Haihao]

Should be (B). And "complicate" can't be used as an adjective, I think.

[Molly]

[Haihao]

Oh yes, it can. My ignorance, very sorry.

[Molly]

No, it was a surprise to me also.

[Jamie (K)]

[Molly]

[Haihao]

I guess the difference between 'complicated' and 'complicate' (both adjectives) is, 'complicated' bears a sense of 'been made complex' whereas 'complicate' just 'been complex'.

[Jamie (K)]

[Haihao]

But ''complicated' would as well mean "of complex composition" = "containing intricately combined or involved parts"

[Jamie (K)]

[Molly]

complicate

Folded upon itself; folded lengthwise

http://glossary.gardenweb.com/glossary/complicate.html

I get a feeling that "complicated"

-----

But:

Complicated

Made complex; denoting a disease upon which a morbid process or event has been superimposed, altering symptoms and modifying its course for the worse.

Origin: L. Com-plico, pp. -atus, to fold together

http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Complicated

[Haihao]

This clears everything up! Thank you, Molly.

[sweetpumpkin]

I could conclude then both complicate and complicated 'can' fill in the blank above. The question above is not a good one... But the direction says(I didn't put it here) 'Select the best answer to complete the sentence'. Then I think the best answer goes to 'complicated'. I googled and found out the word 'procedure' is usually used with 'complicated', not 'complicate'. Besides, I checked www.americancorpus.org , and it showed that complicate is almost used as a verb. Surely, complicate 'can' fill in the blank, but most of native speakers use 'complicated' instead of it and think the latter is more natural... my guess.

Anyway, thank you for answering my question. I'm really glad many 'GOSUes'(In Korean, 'Gosu'[gosu] literally means 'a better hand', standing for someone with higher skills, an expert, or a superior.) help me out here.

[Molly]