I have been asked many times about the difference between adjectives ending in –ed and –ing. Many students find these two categories of adjectives difficult to master. The rules are relatively simple, all you need is a little practice.
The best way to remember when to use adjectives ending in –ed or –ing is to think about what it is describing.
Adjectives that end –ed describe emotions or feelings; how someone feels about something. Adjectives that end –ing describe the traits of a noun or pronoun.
“Did you see that band play at the weekend? They were amazing!”
“I was disappointed by my exam results this term.”
“We were surprised by how challenging the hike was. We were exhausted by the end of it.”
Don’t forget, Intrepid English Members can download a cheat sheet in the Intrepid English Academy.
What happens if you use the wrong ending?
You may think that the difference is small, but it can have an important impact on the meaning of the sentence. Compare the following statements:
“I am interested.” (You like the topic.)
“I am interesting.” (You think that you are appealing to other people.)
“The party was terrible. I was so bored.” (The atmosphere, people and music weren’t very good.)
“The party was terrible. I was so boring.” (You were the reason that the party was terrible, people were not interested in what you had to say.)
Here is a list of some of the most common English adjectives ending in -ed and -ing:
| Adjective – ed | Adjective – ing | Adjective – ed | Adjective – ing |
| amazed | amazing | fascinated | fascinating |
| annoyed | annoying | frightened | frightening |
| bored | boring | frustrated | frustrating |
| challenged | challenging | fulfilled | fulfilling |
| charmed | charming | insulted | insulting |
| comforted | comforting | interested | interesting |
| concerned | concerning | intrigued | intriguing |
| confused | confusing | irritated | irritating |
| convinced | convincing | overwhelmed | overwhelming |
| devastated | devastating | relaxed | relaxing |
| disappointed | disappointing | satisfied | satisfying |
| disgusted | disgusting | shocked | shocking |
| disheartened | disheartening | soothed | soothing |
| distressed | distressing | surprised | surprising |
| disturbed | disturbing | tempted | tempting |
| embarrassed | embarrassing | terrified | terrifying |
| encouraged | encouraging | threatened | threatening |
| entertained | entertaining | thrilled | thrilling |
| exasperated | exasperating | tired | tiring |
| excited | exciting | touched | touching |
| exhausted | exhausting | upset | upsetting |
Exercises
- I will be very _____________ if I pass my driving test. I haven’t practised for three months.
- This tea tastes_____________. I think you added salt instead of sugar.
- I hate horror movies. They are too_____________ for me.
- He seemed_____________ in the job. He asked a lot of questions in the interview.
Post your answers in the comments section below or email us at Intrepid English.
If you have any questions, or you would like to request a topic for a future blog, you can contact us on any of our social media channels, comment below, or email us at Intrepid English.
Book a trial lesson today and talk about your learning goals with an experienced native English teacher. Say goodbye to boring English lessons! If you’re not sure what you want to learn, let your teacher choose from the range of English courses that have been designed to help our students to achieve their goals.