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English 101 Academy

Adjectives ending in ‘-ed’ and ‘-ing’

Understanding the Difference Between “Bored” and “Boring”

Do you know how to differentiate between “bored” and “boring”? Test your knowledge with interactive exercises and read on for a clear explanation!

Examples in Context

To illustrate the difference, consider these sentences:

  • I was really bored in that presentation.
  • That was a really boring presentation.

Grammar Explanation

Adjectives that end in -ed (like bored, interested) and those that end in -ing (like boring, interesting) can be easily confused, but they serve distinct purposes.

-Ed Adjectives

Adjectives ending in -ed typically describe feelings or emotions—they convey how people feel about something.

  • Examples:
    • I was so bored in that lesson, I almost fell asleep.
    • He was surprised to see Helen after all those years.
    • She was really tired and went to bed early.

-Ing Adjectives

On the other hand, adjectives ending in -ing describe the source of the emotion—they refer to the thing that induces a feeling.

  • Examples:
    • Have you seen that film? It’s really frightening.
    • I could listen to her for hours; she’s so interesting.
    • I can’t sleep! That noise is really annoying!

Common Adjectives with Both Forms

Some adjectives can take both -ed and -ing forms, allowing for nuanced expression:

  • annoyed / annoying
  • bored / boring
  • confused / confusing
  • disappointed / disappointing
  • excited / exciting
  • frightened / frightening
  • interested / interesting
  • surprised / surprising
  • tired / tiring
  • worried / worrying

Conclusion

Understanding the distinction between -ed and -ing adjectives can greatly improve your English communication skills. Remember, -ed describes how you feel, while -ing describes what causes that feeling. Practice with these concepts, and you’ll become more confident in using them correctly!

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