Adjectives ending in - ing or -ed ? (exciting or excited?
1. What’s the rule?
A. Everything here is very exciting. I’m meeting lots of
interesting people and having lots of fascinating
conversations. I’m seeing some amazing (and some
horrifying) sights and I’m eating some very
interesting food. Indian trains are amazing (but the
toilets are often disgusting). I’ve had one or two
frightening experiences but I’m really enjoying myself
– India is many things but it’s never boring.
Hannah is travelling by train in India with her friend Rachel. This is a letter to her brother
1. What ending do all the adjectives have? _______________
2. Do all these adjectives describe…
a) various things?
b) how Hannah feels?
B.
The problem is Rachel. She’s not really interested in
India. When I’m excited, she says she’s tired. When
I’m fascinated, she’s bored. When things go wrong,
I’m relaxed but she gets annoyed. When things take
a long time, I’m amused. She gets irritated. I’m
worried about her – she’s getting really depressed.
1. What ending do all the adjectives have? _____________________
2. Do all these adjectives describe…
a) various things?
b) how Hannah feels?
Remember!
Complete the rules
1. Adjectives ending in _________ describe what things are like.
2. Adjectives ending in ________ describe how a person feels.
C. Choose the correct option.
1
First trip to New York
I thought the flight across the Atlantic would be (1)excited/exciting. I was (2)excited/exciting for the first
time, but after that I was (3)bored/boring. There was nothing (4)interested/interesting to look at because I
didn’t have a window seat. That was very (5)disappointed/disappointing. So I watched the film. It was a bit
(6)confused/confusing but it was quite (7)amused/amusing. Then I tried to speak to the man next to me but
he wasn’t (8)interested/interesting. In fact he seemed (9)surprised/surprising and (10)annoyed/annoying
when I tried to start a conversation. Then I hate the food but it was (11)disgusted/disgusting. After that, I felt
(12)tired/tiring so I slept for a couple of hours. When I woke up I was (13) surprised/surprising to find we
were nearly in New York. I’ll never forget the view of Manhattan from the plane – it was (14)amazed/amazing!
D. A teacher at a language school in London is describing the ideas about England that his
students have. Underline the correct alternative to complete the sentences.
It’s (1)surprised/surprising and a bit (2)worried/worrying how foreign students all have the same ideas
about England. For example, many of them are (3)surprised/surprising and slightly
(4)disappointed/disappointing when they first arrive because it isn’t foggy! They are (5)amazed/amazing
when the sun shines and they think it’s (6)astonished/astonishing when it doesn’t rain for weeks.
Many of my students say they are (7)surprised/surprising that English people don’t all have eggs and bacon
for breakfast and they’re (8)disappointed/disappointing that we don’t all drink tea.
A German student said to me, “Before I came, I thought the English were only (9)interested/interesting in
cricket. But the ones I’ve met think that football is far more (10)interested/interesting than cricket. They say
cricket is (11)bored/boring.”
French students in particular expect English food to be (12)disgusted/disgusting. But many say they’re
(13)surprised/surprising because it’s really quite good.
It’s (14)interested/interesting that many students completely change their ideas while they’re here.
E. Complete what the people at a party are saying. Choose from the words in the box.
surprised/surprising bored/boring depressed/depressing annoyed/annoying interested/interesting
- This party’s (1)____________________. Shall we go?
- I’m not (2) ___________________. I want to stay.
- I’m not (3) ___________________in football.
- Can’t we talk about something more (4)___________________?
- I’m (5)________________________ to see you here.
2
- Why is it (6)______________________?
- I thought you were in New York.
- Why are you (7) ______________________with me?
- Because you’re being very (8) ____________________!
- What’s wrong? You look a bit (9) _____________________.
- I’ve just had some (10) _________________news. I’ve lost my job.
in Bolton, David & Goodey, Noel Trouble with adjectives, adverbs and pronouns? (abridged)
(sample designed to photocopy)
KEY
A. 1-ing; 2 – a B. 1- ed; 2 – b remember: 1-ING; 2 - ED
C. 1.ing; 2.ed; 3.ed; 4.ing; 5.ing; 6.ing; 7.ing; 8. ed; 9.ed; 10. ed; 11.ing; 12ed; 13.ed; 14. ing
D. 1.ing; 2.ing; 3.ed; 4.ed; 5.ed; 6.ing; 7.ed; 8.ed; 9.ed; 10.ing; 11.ing; 12.ing; 13.ed; 14.ing
E. 1.boring; 2.bored; 3.interested; 4.interesting; 5.surprised; 6.surprising; 7.annoyed; 8.annoying; 9.depressed;
10.depressing
