The Key Difference Between -ed and -ing Adjectives
Participle adjectives come from verbs, but they describe different perspectives. Use -ed adjectives to describe how a person feels or their emotional state. Use -ing adjectives to describe the quality of something or what causes a feeling. Think of it this way: the person is -ed (they receive the feeling), while the thing or situation is -ing (it creates the feeling). For example, 'I am bored' (I feel bored) versus 'The film is boring' (it causes boredom).
-ed Adjectives: Describing Feelings
The -ed form describes the emotional state or reaction of a person. It shows that someone has experienced or been affected by something. Common -ed adjectives include: interested, excited, confused, worried, disappointed, frustrated, and exhausted. Use -ed when the subject is a person and you're explaining how they feel.
-ing Adjectives: Describing the Cause
The -ing form describes a quality that causes a feeling or reaction in people. It characterizes something as having a particular effect. Common -ing adjectives include: interesting, exciting, confusing, worrying, disappointing, frustrating, and exhausting. Use -ing when describing what something is like or what effect it has on others.
-ed vs -ing Adjectives — Full List
| -ed AdjectiveHow the person feels | -ing AdjectiveWhat causes the feeling | -ed Example | -ing Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| amazed | amazing | She was amazed by the show. | It was an amazing show. |
| amused | amusing | He was amused by the joke. | It was an amusing joke. |
| annoyed | annoying | I was annoyed by the noise. | The noise was annoying. |
| bored | boring | The students were bored. | The lesson was boring. |
| charmed | charming | We were charmed by the village. | It was a charming village. |
| confused | confusing | I was confused by the map. | The map was confusing. |
| convinced | convincing | She was convinced by his argument. | His argument was convincing. |
| depressed | depressing | He felt depressed after the news. | The news was depressing. |
| disappointed | disappointing | They were disappointed with the result. | The result was disappointing. |
| disgusted | disgusting | She was disgusted by the smell. | The smell was disgusting. |
| embarrassed | embarrassing | He was embarrassed by the mistake. | It was an embarrassing mistake. |
| enchanted | enchanting | We were enchanted by the music. | The music was enchanting. |
| encouraged | encouraging | She felt encouraged by the feedback. | The feedback was encouraging. |
| entertained | entertaining | The crowd was entertained. | The comedian was entertaining. |
| excited | exciting | The kids were excited about the trip. | It was an exciting trip. |
| exhausted | exhausting | I was exhausted after the hike. | The hike was exhausting. |
| fascinated | fascinating | She was fascinated by history. | History is a fascinating subject. |
| frightened | frightening | The child was frightened by the dog. | The dog was frightening. |
| frustrated | frustrating | He was frustrated with the delay. | The delay was frustrating. |
| horrified | horrifying | She was horrified by the accident. | The accident was horrifying. |
Formula
✔ Positive
Subject (person)
+
am/is/are/was/were
+
-ed adjective
She is interested in learning languages.
? Question
Are/Were
+
you
+
-ed adjective?
Were you surprised by the results?
Examples
I was interested in the presentation because the speaker presented the data clearly.
-ed form · Describes the person's feeling
She felt excited after receiving the job offer.
-ed form · Shows emotional reaction
The children were exhausted from running around all afternoon.
-ed form · Describes the children's state
The presentation was interesting and kept everyone engaged throughout.
-ing form · Describes the quality of the presentation
That job offer was exciting news for everyone in the team.
-ing form · Describes what causes the feeling
Running around all afternoon was exhausting for the children.
-ing form · Describes the activity and its effect
When to use it
Describing Emotions
Use -ed adjectives when talking about how people feel about situations, experiences, or things they encounter.
"I was confused by the instructions, but my colleague was helpful."
Evaluating Entertainment
Use -ing adjectives to describe whether films, books, or activities have an engaging or entertaining quality.
"The concert was thrilling, and I wasn't bored at all."
Work and Situations
Use -ing for job characteristics or situations that affect people; use -ed for how people respond to work.
"The demanding project was tiring, and the team felt stressed."
Signal words
I am/feel -ed (interested, excited, worried, confused)
It is -ing (interesting, exciting, worrying, confusing)
They were -ed (disappointed, frustrated, exhausted)
The situation is -ing (challenging, frustrating, rewarding)
Common Mistakes
✕
Wrong
The film was bored.
✓
Correct
The film was boring.
Films cannot feel bored; they cause boredom. Use -ing for things, -ed for people's feelings.
✕
Wrong
I was very boring during the lesson.
✓
Correct
I was very bored during the lesson.
You express how you felt with -ed. Use -ing only when you're describing your effect on others.
✕
Wrong
The news was disappointed.
✓
Correct
The news was disappointing.
News cannot feel disappointed; it causes disappointment. Use -ing for the cause, -ed for the person's reaction.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
What to Remember
- Use -ed adjectives to describe how a person feels or their emotional state.
- Use -ing adjectives to describe the quality of something or what causes feelings.
- The person experiencing the emotion takes the -ed form adjective.
- The thing or situation causing the emotion takes the -ing form adjective.
- Remember: "I am bored" (person's feeling) versus "The film is boring" (what causes it).