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GRAMMAR: Adjectives ending in ˂-ed˃ and ˂-ing˃

Read the sentences below and with your partner ask and answer questions 1 and 2.

The class was boring and students were very bored

The book was fascinating and the reader was really fascinated

The film was terrifying and the audience was really terrified
  1. What's the difference between the adjectives ending in -ing (boring, fascinating and terrifying) and those ending in -ed (bored, fascinated and terrified)?
  2. How would you translate "son aburrido/a" and "estou aburrido/a"?

 

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1. Adjectives ending in -ing indicate the cause of a feeling, they often describe things and situations. Those ending in -ed indicate how you feel. Compare:

The class was entertaining. Students were very entertained.

This is a worrying problem. I'm worried about it.

2. To remember the meaning and use of -ed and -ing adjectives, translation helps! It's really easy:

Ending

Exercise 1. Ending -ed or -ing

Complete the gaps below with -ed or -ing.

  1. You look really tir . Why don't you go to bed?
  2. I've got some very excit news for you
  3. He has a very annoy habit of always interrupting people
  4. I am very disappoint by their behaviour
  5. The film was so bor that I fell asleep
  6. Chocolate with sausages! That's disgust !

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Exercise 2

Complete the adjectives below with ending -ed or -ing:

 

  1. I find this book very bor
  2. I am bor when I watch TV
  3. Mary thinks football is an excit sport
  4. I am excit about their wedding!
  5. The weather here is so depress
  6. Try not to be depress

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Go to Unit 7.1 to see -ed and -ing adjectives to describe books

Bonus Task

Need more practice? Click the links below to do more exercises.