Adjectives ending in -ing and -ed have different meaning. Ing adjectives cause us to have the feeling of something whereas ed adjectives are what we feel.

These two types of adjectives are also known as participial adjectives. The verb ending in ing is called present participle. And, the verbs ending in ed, including all the verbs III, are called past participle. Both of them can function as adjectives and we call them participial adjectives.

Adjectives Ending in Ing and Ed Examples

Let’s see the following examples:

Boring versus Bored

Sue has been doing the same job for a very long time. Every day she does exactly the same thing again and again. She doesn’t enjoy it any more and would like to do something different.

Sue’s job is boring.

Sue is bored (with her job).

Someone is -ed if something (or someone) is ing. or, if something is -ing, it makes you -ed. So:

Sue is bored because her job is boring.

Sue’s job is boring, so Sue is bored. ( not ‘ Sue is boring’)

Interesting versus Interested

Someone is interested because something (or someone) is interesting.

Paul is interested in music. (not ‘interesting in music’)

Paul finds music interesting.

Are you interested in buying the house?

Did you meet anyone interesting at the party?

Surprising versus Surprised

Someone is surprised because something is surprising.

Everyone was surprised that the boy could lift up that heavy stone.

It was quite surprising that the boy could lift up that heavy stone.

Disappointing versus Disappointed

Someone is disappointed because something is disappointing.

The coach was disappointed with the team’s performance. He expected it to play much better.

The team’s performance was disappointing. The coach expected it to play much better.

Tiring versus Tired

Someone is tired because something is tiring.

He is always very tired when he gets home from work.

He has a very tiring job.

Conclusion

After we compare those two types of adjectives, we can conclude that:

Adjectives ending in ing cause us to have the feeling of something.
Adjectives ending in ed is the feeling we have. The adjectives that we feel.

For your reference, we provide you with the most popular adjectives ending in ‘ing’ and ‘ed’.

Ing Adjectives	Ed Adjectives
fascinating exciting amusing amazing astonishing shocking disgusting embarrassing confusing horrifying terrifying frightening depressing worrying annoying exhausting satisfying	fascinated excited amused amazed astonished shocked disgusted embarrassed confused horrified horrified frightened depressed worried annoyed exhausted satisfied

Adjective Ending in ed and ing Exercise

Exercise I | Adjective Ending in ed and ing Exercise

Choose the right adjective in the bracket.

The room has not been cleaned. It is ( disgusting, disgusted).
Are you ( interesting, interested ) in politics?
We have played tennis for two hours so we are ( tiring, tired ) now.
If you do the same thing every day, you will feel ( boring, bored ).
I’m going to Alaska for the first time. I’m very ( exciting, excited ) about it.
I have to work for 12 hours a day. This job is really ( exhausting, exhausted ).
The audience were ( amusing, amused ). The joker was really funny.
Borrowing money from people is ( embarrassing, embarrassed ) to me.
The Krakatoa eruption in 1884 was ( horrifying, horrified ). Thousands of people died in minutes.
The boy was ( frightened, frightening ) of the sound of the thunder. He kept on crying.

Exercise II | Adjective Ending in ed and ing Exercise

Complete each sentence with correct adjective provided.

disgusting boring terrifying interested interesting bored boring

His speech was ___________ . Nobody paid attention to it.
The picture of a ghost is __________. Everyone in the room closed their eyes.
My little sister is not ___________ in music but she loves drawing pictures.
You look __________ Let’s go to the party.
Football is not __________ to me. Instead, I often play table tennis.
The toilet is so ___________ . It seems nobody ever cleans it.

Answer

Exercise I

The room has not been cleaned. It is disgusting.
Are you interested in politics?
We have played tennis for two hours so we are tired now.
If you do the same thing every day, you will feel bored.
I’m going to Alaska for the first time. I’m very excited about it.
I have to work for 12 hours a day. This job is really exhausting.
The audience were amused. The joker was really funny.
Borrowing money from people is embarrassing to me.
The Krakatoa eruption in 1884 was horrifying. Thousands of people died in minutes.
The boy was frightened of the sound of the thunder. He kept on crying.