ParticipialAdjectives

Learn how to use -ed and

–ing adjectives in English.

Participial Adjectives look like verbs, but they are really adjectives. Their function is to describe nouns.

English uses many pairs of –ed and –ing adjectives. You probably know some of these adjectives already.

Let’s think about some Examples

Miguel didn’t sleep very well last night. To make things worse, he had to get up early this morning because his boss asked him to come to work early. When he got up, he realized that he had run out of coffee. Poor Miguel. Today he feels . . .

These are adjectives, even though they end with –ed. They describe how Miguel feels.

School is difficult, but Melissa enjoys it because she loves to learn. She especially loves her Science class because the teacher is very good. The teacher’s class is never boring;

on the contrary it’s . . .

These are adjectives, even though they end with –ing. They describe the class.

More examples of

–ed and –ing adjectives:

-ed -ingthrilled thrillingfascinated fascinatingamazed amazingshocked shockingembarrassed embarrassingconfused confusingfrightened frighteningdepressed depressingamused amusingannoyed annoyingdistracted distracting

What’s the difference between the

–ed and –ing form of adjectives?• -ed adjectives describe the way a

person feels.

•-ing adjectives describe someone’s personality, a place, an event, an experience, etc.

*If something is __________ing, it will make you feel ________ed.

More examples . . .1. Tom’s job is boring. He feels bored when he’s at work. Tom is bored because his job is boring.

2. Jane thinks that computers are interesting. She is interested in studying computers in the future.

3. My friend was feeling depressed, so I invited him to come out with us to see an amusing movie. I thought it might make him laugh a little.

4. Tripping in front of other people can be really embarrassing. I always feel embarrassed when this happens!

Now it’s your turn!1. confus-

English grammar can be extremely

________________. It makes me feel

________________.

2. fascinat-Millions of tourists are __________________

with Balboa Park. This place is absolutely

__________________.

Practice …

surprise

Was the little girl surprised or surprising?

Was the party surprised or surprising?

exhaust

How does the man feel: exhausted or exhausting?

Was the marathon exhausted or exhausting?

bore

Was the speech bored or boring?

The people in the audience felt bored or boring?

annoy

It’s annoyed or annoying when people talk loudly on their cell phones?

I was annoyed or annoying when that guy was talking loudly on his cell phone?

satisfy

Was the woman satisfied or satisfying when she got her favorite meal?

Was the meal satisfied or satisfying?

frustrate

The man feels frustrated or frustrating?

His job can be frustrated or frustrating?

shock

The news was shocked or shocking?

The woman was shocked or shocking when she read the news?

embarrass

How does the boy feel? embarrassed or embarrassing?

Is being scolded embarrassed or embarrassing?

interest

Is the student interested or interesting in learning?

Is the class interested or interesting?

excite

Riding roller coasters is excited or exciting?

Do the people on the roller coaster feel excited or exciting?

disappoint

It’s disappointed or disappointing to lose a race?

The runners who didn’t win felt disappointed or disappointing?