Participial adjectives are formed from verbs and are used to describe nouns. There are two main types of participial adjectives: those ending in -ed and those ending in -ing. Understanding the difference between these two forms is essential for expressing feelings and descriptions accurately in English.
The Basic Difference
| -ed Adjectives | -ing Adjectives |
|---|---|
| Describe how someone feels | Describe what causes the feeling |
| Describe the receiver of an action or emotion | Describe the source of an action or emotion |
| Used to describe people and animals (those who can feel emotions) | Used to describe things, situations, or people that produce an effect |
Common Participial Adjective Pairs
Here are some common pairs of participial adjectives with examples of how they are used:
| -ed Form | -ing Form | Base Verb |
|---|---|---|
| bored | boring | to bore |
| interested | interesting | to interest |
| excited | exciting | to excite |
| tired | tiring | to tire |
| confused | confusing | to confuse |
| fascinated | fascinating | to fascinate |
| frightened | frightening | to frighten |
| disappointed | disappointing | to disappoint |
| surprised | surprising | to surprise |
| annoyed | annoying | to annoy |
Examples in Contex
| -ed Adjectives (How someone feels) | -ing Adjectives (What causes the feeling) |
|---|---|
|
I am bored with this movie. The person feels boredom. |
This is a boring movie. The movie causes boredom. |
|
She was interested in learning Spanish. She feels interest. |
Spanish is an interesting language. The language causes interest. |
|
The children were excited about the trip. The children feel excitement. |
The trip was exciting for everyone. The trip causes excitement. |
|
He was disappointed with the results. He feels disappointment. |
The results were disappointing. The results cause disappointment. |
|
The teacher seemed confused by the question. The teacher feels confusion. |
The explanation was confusing to many students. The explanation causes confusion. |
Sentence Structure
Participial adjectives can be used in different positions in a sentence:
Before a noun:
- The bored student looked out the window.
- She read an interesting book.
After linking verbs (be, feel, seem, appear, look, etc.):
- The teacher seemed confused by the question.
- The explanation was confusing to many students.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ❌ Incorrect: “I am boring in this class.”
✅ Correct: “I am bored in this class.” (You feel boredom.) - ❌ Incorrect: “The bored movie put me to sleep.”
✅ Correct: “The boring movie put me to sleep.” (The movie causes boredom.)
Remember:
- Use -ed adjectives to describe feelings (how someone feels)
- Use -ing adjectives to describe the cause of feelings (what makes someone feel that way)
Real-Life Application
I was disappointed with the restaurant because the service was disappointing and the food was disgusting. I left feeling frustrated because the whole experience was frustrating.
Pay attention to how the -ed forms describe how the person feels, while the -ing forms describe what caused those feelings.
Summary
- -ed adjectives describe emotions or feelings (how people or animals feel)
- -ing adjectives describe characteristics of things, situations, or people that produce those feelings
- Both forms come from verbs and function as adjectives in sentences
- Understanding the difference helps you express yourself more accurately in English
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