ESL/EFL: Adjectives that end in -ed and -ing
Always remember that adjectives that end in -ed are used as ‘the effect’ or a cause
and that adjectives that end in –ing are usually ‘the cause‘.
For example:
The football game was very exciting (the cause of the excitement was the game) Everyone is very excited about the news. (the effect upon people (everyone) due to the news is excitement
or
The movie was very boring. (the move is ‘the cause’ of the boredom) I felt rather bored. (bored as an effect of something)
Practice:
- No one knew what would happen next. We were all _________________ (intrigued / intriguing).
- There has been some very _____________ news. ( surprised / surprising)
- His mother was ________ by what she found under the bed. (disgusted / disgusting)
- The hamburgers are ________ . (disgusted / disgusting)
- Father always arrives home completely _______ . (exhausted / exhausting)
- I am very _________ in motorcycles. (interested / interesting)
Answers:
- intrigued
2. surprising
3. disgusted
4. disgusting
5. exhausted
6. interested