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One of the most confusing distinctions for ESL students is choosing between bored and boring, or excited and exciting. I see this error constantly in essays and conversation: “The lesson was bored” or “I was excited about the movie.” The distinction is simple once you understand it, yet it trips up learners at every level. You’ll breaks down the rule so clearly that you’ll never hesitate again.
Many adjectives are formed from verbs by adding -ed or -ing endings. The catch? They have opposite meanings and uses. You’ll explains the difference, shows you how to use each form, and provides a complete list of common -ed and -ing adjectives so you can build your vocabulary with confidence.
Key Takeaways
- -ING adjectives describe the cause — the thing that causes a feeling. (“The movie is exciting” = it causes excitement.)
- -ED adjectives describe the feeling — how a person experiences something. (“I am excited” = I experience excitement.)
- Active vs. passive meaning — -ing is active (something does the action); -ed is passive (something happens to you).
- Swap the subject, not the adjective — if you describe the movie as exciting, describe people as excited by it.
- Both forms describe emotions, but from opposite angles — learn the pair and you control both meanings.
Adjectives Ending in -ING: Active Meaning
Adjectives ending in -ing describe the quality or effect of something. They tell us what causes a particular feeling or state. In other words, the thing itself is active — it does something to you.
Rule: -ING adjectives describe a process or action that produces a particular effect on someone’s emotions.
Example 1: “The boring lesson” — the lesson causes students to feel bored.
Example 2: “The exciting game” — the game causes fans to feel excited.
Example 3: “The terrifying movie” — the movie causes viewers to feel terrified.
Think of it this way: The -ING adjective is like the agent or the cause . It’s the movie’s job to be exciting, the lesson’s job to be boring. The adjective describes what the thing does.
Adjectives Ending in -ED: Passive Meaning
Adjectives ending in -ed describe how a person feels or the state they experience . They tell us the effect on the person, not the cause. In other words, the person is passive — something happens to them.
Rule: -ED adjectives describe a person’s or thing’s emotional or physical state as a result of an external cause.
Example 4: “The students are bored.” — the students experience boredom.
Example 5: “The fans are excited.” — the fans experience excitement.
Example 6: “The viewers are terrified.” — the viewers experience terror.
Remember: If you can say “I feel [emotion],” use the -ED form. “I feel bored,” “I feel excited,” “I feel terrified.” Not “I feel boring” (that describes you, not your feelings).
Side-by-Side Comparison: -ING vs. -ED
| Aspect | -ING Adjectives | -ED Adjectives |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Describes the cause or effect on others | Describes the feeling of the person |
| Voice | Active — the thing does something | Passive — the person receives something |
| Subject | Usually a noun or thing | Usually a person or living being |
| Example | “The film is interesting.” (The film causes interest.) | “I am interested.” (I experience interest.) |
| With intensifiers | “very interesting,” “extremely exciting” | “very interested,” “extremely excited” |
Common -ED and -ING Adjective Pairs
Here are the most essential pairs you’ll encounter in everyday English. Each verb can form both an -ing and an -ed adjective:
| Verb | -ING Adjective (Cause) | -ED Adjective (Feeling) |
|---|---|---|
| Amaze | Amazing | Amazed |
| Annoy | Annoying | Annoyed |
| Astonish | Astonishing | Astonished |
| Bore | Boring | Bored |
| Convince | Convincing | Convinced |
| Depress | Depressing | Depressed |
| Disappoint | Disappointing | Disappointed |
| Disgust | Disgusting | Disgusted |
| Embarrass | Embarrassing | Embarrassed |
| Excite | Exciting | Excited |
| Exhaust | Exhausting | Exhausted |
| Fascinate | Fascinating | Fascinated |
| Frighten | Frightening | Frightened |
| Frustrate | Frustrating | Frustrated |
| Inspire | Inspiring | Inspired |
| Interest | Interesting | Interested |
| Motivate | Motivating | Motivated |
| Relax | Relaxing | Relaxed |
| Satisfy | Satisfying | Satisfied |
| Shock | Shocking | Shocked |
| Surprise | Surprising | Surprised |
| Terrify | Terrifying | Terrified |
| Tire | Tiring | Tired |
| Worry | Worrying | Worried |
Using -ING and -ED Adjectives in Context
Let’s look at how these adjectives function in real sentences, using the same event from both perspectives:
The Movie
-ING form (what the movie does): “That exciting movie kept me on the edge of my seat.” (The movie is active — it excites you.)
-ED form (how you feel): “I was excited by that movie.” or “I felt excited watching it.” (You are passive — the movie excited you.)
The Presentation
Example 7: “His boring presentation put me to sleep.” (The presentation is boring.)
Example 8: “I was bored during his presentation.” (I felt bored.)
The Test
Example 9: “The challenging exam frustrated my classmates.” (The exam is challenging and causes frustration.)
Example 10: “My classmates are frustrated with the difficult exam.” (The classmates feel frustration.)
Warning: Don’t confuse the subject. The -ING form describes the thing that causes the emotion; the -ED form describes the person who experiences it. Swap them, and your sentence breaks.
Intensifiers with -ING and -ED Adjectives
Both forms work with adverbs that strengthen the adjective. Common intensifiers include: very, extremely, quite, really, incredibly, absolutely.
Example 11: “I’m very excited about the concert.” (emotion — -ed form)
Example 12: “The concert will be extremely exciting.” (cause — -ing form)
Example 13: “That test was quite challenging, and I felt really frustrated afterwards.”
Common Mistakes with -ED and -ING Adjectives
✗ Incorrect: “I was very boring in the class.”
✓ Correct: “I was very bored in the class.” or “The class was very boring.”
Why: “Boring” describes the class (what causes the feeling), not you. You feel “bored.”
✗ Incorrect: “The game was so excited that everyone cheered.”
✓ Correct: “The game was so exciting that everyone cheered.” or “Everyone was excited about the game.”
Why: “Exciting” describes the game (the cause); “excited” describes how people feel.
✗ Incorrect: “I was disappointed by the disappointed results.”
✓ Correct: “I was disappointed by the disappointing results.”
Why: Results don’t feel emotions; you do. So results are “disappointing,” and you are “disappointed.”
Sample Dialogue: Discussing a Book
Ana: Did you finish reading that book I recommended?
Leo: I did, but honestly, I was disappointed. I found it really boring.
Ana: Boring? I thought the plot was incredibly exciting! The twist ending was shocking.
Leo: The ending was surprising, but the first half was exhausting to read. Too much description.
Ana: Fair enough. I can see why you’d be frustrated. But I was fascinated throughout.
Quick Quiz
- Which is correct? (a) “I am interested in art.” (b) “I am interesting in art.”
- Fill in: “The ________ (tired / tiring) student fell asleep during the ________ (tired / tiring) lecture.”
- Which sentence has the correct -ed/-ing form? (a) “The thrilling movie thrilled me.” (b) “The thrilled movie excited me.”
- If someone says “I’m bored,” what does that mean? (a) The person causes boredom. (b) The person experiences boredom.
- Complete: “We were ________ (amazed / amazing) by the ________ (amazed / amazing) performance.”
Answers: 1. a (interested — the person feels interest) · 2. tired (person) / tiring (lecture — the lecture causes tiredness) · 3. a (thrilling describes the movie; thrilled describes how the person feels) · 4. b (the person experiences boredom) · 5. amazed (how we felt) / amazing (what caused the feeling)
A Teacher’s Trick for Remembering
My students remember this rule with a simple test: Can you do the verb to yourself? Can you “bore yourself”? Yes. So the verb can have an -ing form (boring) to describe what bores you. Can you “bore someone”? Yes. So the verb can have an -ed form (bored) to describe how they feel. This verb logic unlocks dozens of pairs once you internalise it.
Another way: replace the -ing adjective with “which” — “the boring lesson” becomes “the lesson which bores us.” If that makes sense, use -ing. Replace the -ed adjective with “who is” — “the bored students” becomes “the students who are bored.” If that works, use -ed.
Related Articles
- ↑ Master Pillar: English Grammar
- Common Adjectives in English — broader vocabulary foundation
- Common Opposites of Adjectives — antonym pairs and contrasts
- English Adverbs: Types and Examples — intensifiers and adverb usage
- ↑ Back to pillar: English Adjectives (Pillar)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is every verb with an -ed form a past tense or a past participle adjective?
No. When -ed is used as an adjective (e.g., “a tired runner”), it’s a past participle used in an adjectival sense. But the same form also works as a past tense verb (“I was tired after the race”). Context determines the role.
What if I’m not sure whether to use -ing or -ed?
Ask yourself: “Does this describe the thing or the person?” If it describes the thing (noun), use -ing. If it describes the person (how they feel), use -ed. When in doubt, the -ed form usually applies to emotions and feelings.
Are all feeling adjectives formed from verbs with -ing and -ed?
No. Some emotion words don’t follow this pattern — for example, “happy,” “angry,” “sad,” and “afraid” don’t have corresponding -ing forms. This rule applies mainly to action verbs that can cause emotions (excite, bore, frighten, etc.).
Can both -ing and -ed forms describe people?
Technically yes, but with different meanings. “The boring man” means the man causes boredom. “The bored man” means the man feels bored. Context clarifies intent, but be precise to avoid confusion.
How can I expand my -ing/-ed vocabulary faster?
Learn verbs in pairs with their -ing and -ed forms. When you encounter a new verb (e.g., “inspire”), immediately ask: “Can this inspire me?” If yes, both forms likely exist. Practice by writing sentences using both forms for each pair, and your brain will anchor them together.
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