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)
When you’re tired, you’re experiencing the feeling. When something is tiring, it’s causing that feeling in you.
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