Is た形 required when using 自動詞 as an adjective?

Question

From the grammar book I learned that when 自動詞 is being used as an adjective, it should change its form to the た形, for example: - 優れ{すぐれ}**た**学生 - 拗れ{こじれ}**た**話し But can I say 優れ**る**学生 or 拗れ**る**話し? Why?

Answer 1

Any verb in the plain form (食べる、食べない、食べた、食べなかった, and so on) can be used to modify/describe a noun. I think some verbs might work better in the past form, however:

 優れた学生 - a student who has excelled (hard to say who will excel until you have the results)

拗れた話し - a story which has grown complicated (hard to know if/when the story has gotten complicated until you tell it)