-ed / -ing adjectives — meaning & use
Quick rule
- -ed adjectives describe how people/animals feel: “I’m bored.”
- -ing adjectives describe the thing or situation that causes the feeling: “The film is boring.”
- Typical with linking verbs: be, feel, seem, look, sound, get (“He got excited.”).
- Use more/most for comparison: “more interesting”, “the most tiring”.
Form & meaning (verb → -ing cause / -ed feeling)
| Verb | -ing (cause) | -ed (feeling) | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| amaze | amazing | amazed | The view was amazing; we were amazed. |
| annoy | annoying | annoyed | That noise is annoying. I’m annoyed. |
| astonish | astonishing | astonished | Her progress is astonishing. The teacher was astonished. |
| bore | boring | bored | The lecture was boring. Students felt bored. |
| confuse | confusing | confused | The map is confusing. I’m confused. |
| depress | depressing | depressed | Rainy winters can be depressing. He felt depressed. |
| disappoint | disappointing | disappointed | The result was disappointing. We were disappointed. |
| embarrass | embarrassing | embarrassed | It was an embarrassing moment; she was embarrassed. |
| excite | exciting | excited | The match was exciting. Fans were excited. |
| frighten / terrify | frightening / terrifying | frightened / terrified | The dog was frightening. The child was frightened. |
| interest | interesting | interested | An interesting article; I’m interested in it. |
| irritate | irritating | irritated | The delay was irritating. Passengers were irritated. |
| shock | shocking | shocked | The news was shocking. We were shocked. |
| surprise | surprising | surprised | Her visit was surprising. I was surprised. |
| tire / exhaust | tiring / exhausting | tired / exhausted | The hike was exhausting. We were exhausted. |
| worry | worrying | worried | The report is worrying. Parents are worried. |
Useful prepositions with -ed adjectives
| Adjective | Common preposition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| interested | in | She’s interested in biology. |
| bored | with / by | He’s bored with the game. |
| excited | about | We’re excited about the trip. |
| surprised / shocked | at / by | I was surprised by the price. |
| annoyed / angry | with / at / by | She’s annoyed with her brother. |
| frightened / afraid | of / by | He’s afraid of spiders. |
| tired | of / from | Tired of waiting; tired from work. |
| worried | about | They’re worried about exams. |
Cause can also be shown with by: “I was annoyed by the noise.”
Placement & intensifiers
- Before a noun: “a boring lesson”, “a tired player”.
- After linking verbs: “The lesson was boring.” “I feel tired.”
- Change / becoming with get: “They got excited.”
- Intensifiers: very/really/so (very tired, really interesting); extreme adjectives often take absolutely / completely / utterly (absolutely terrified).
Common mistakes to avoid
- People are usually -ed; things are usually -ing: “I’m bored,” not “I’m boring” (unless you mean your personality causes boredom!).
- Use more/most, not -er/-est: “more interesting” ✅ “interestinger” ❌
- -ed adjectives here describe emotions (not completed actions). Compare: “a closed door” (past participle of the verb close) vs. “I’m interested.”
Exercises:
-Ed/-ing adjectives: Adjectives from verbs
Fill in the gaps by turing the verbs in brackets into ed/-ing adjectives.
1
The lecture was so
that half the class fell asleep.
2
After running a marathon, I felt completely
.
3
This puzzle is really
; I can’t see the solution.
4
The children were
when the magician pulled a rabbit from his hat.
5
That horror movie was too
for me; I left after ten minutes.
6
I’m not
in golf; let’s do something else.
7
Her constant interruptions are really
.
8
We were
to hear that the concert had been cancelled.
9
Meeting new colleagues can be
at first.
10
He looked
after the night shift but still smiled.
-Ed/-ing adjectives: Adjectives from verbs
Choose the correct option for each gap below.
1
After a long flight, we were really _____; the movie was not very _____.
A.
B.
C.
2
The instructions are so _____ that everyone gets _____.
A.
B.
C.
3
I find grammar puzzles _____; I’m always _____ when I solve one.
A.
B.
C.
4
He told a very _____ story, but the audience looked _____.
A.
B.
C.
5
The results were _____ for the team; they were truly _____.
A.
B.
C.
6
This workout is _____; I’m already _____.
A.
B.
C.
7
Emma felt _____ by his constant complaints; it was really _____.
A.
B.
C.
8
Your presentation was _____; the audience looked really _____.
A.
B.
C.
9
It’s _____ waiting in this line; I’m getting _____.
A.
B.
C.
10
The news about the discovery was _____; scientists everywhere were _____.
A.
B.
C.
-Ed/-ing adjectives: Adjectives from verbs
Fill in the gaps by turing the verbs in brackets into ed/-ing adjectives.
1
After three days at the conference I felt (exhaust).
2
The schedule was extremely (demand).
3
The opening keynote was really (interest).
4
But I was a bit (confuse) by the graphs.
5
Sitting by the river made me feel (relax).
6
Our team left the workshop highly (motivate).
7
The coach’s stories were truly (inspire).
8
Later my colleague was (annoy) about the slow Wi-Fi.
9
The login process was really (frustrate).
10
By midnight we were too (tire) to go out.