We sometimes use verbs ending in –ed and –ing as adjectives:
I like painted furniture.
Do you like smoked meat?
The police are looking for a missing person.
Some people say Leonardo da Vinci invented first flying machine.
Many –ed and –ing adjectives describe feelings, but we use them in different ways. We use:
- -ed adjectives to describe how we feel:
I’m confused.
The students are interested.
- -ing adjectives to describe the thing that causes our feelings:
The rules are confusing.
It’s an interesting lesson.
We often use –ing adjectives to ask about or give an opinion about something:
Do you think horror films are frightening? (= or they frighten you?)
My cousin is really boring. (= He makes me feel bored)
We don’t use –ing adjectives to talk about how we feel;
Tell me more about the course. I am very interesting. I am very interested.
Exercises:
- I am doing the same thing every day. My job is so ________________.
- I have nothing to do. I am ______________.
- I don’t understand this exercise. I am so _______________.
- The rules are rather __________. I don’t understand them.
- My trip has been canceled. I am so _________________.
- The play of our team was very bad. It was so ______________.
Answers: 1. boring, 2. bored, 3. confused, 4. confusing, 5. disappointed, 6. disappointing