There are many adjectives ending in ~ing and ~ed. For example, boring and bored. Study this example situation:
Jane 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.
Jane's Job is boring. Jane is bored (with her job). Somebody is bored if something (or somebody else ) is boring. Or, if something is boring, it makes you bored.
So:
* Jane is bored because her job is boring.
* Jane's job is boring, so Jane is bored. (not 'Jane is boring')
If a person is boring, this means that they make other people bored:
* George always talks about the same things. He's really boring.
Compare adjectives ending in ~ing and ~ed:
You can say:
* My job boring.
* My job interesting.
* My job is tiring.
* My job satisfying.
* My job depressing. (etc.)
The ~ing adjective tells you about the job.
You can say:
* I'm bored with my job.
* I'm not interested in my job any more.
* I'm always tired when I finish work.
* I'm not satisfied with my job.
* My job makes me depressed. (etc.)
The ~ed adjective tells you how somebody feels (about the job).
Compare these examples:
interesting
* Julia thinks politics is very interesting.
* Did you meet anyone interesting at the party?
surprising
* It was quite surprising that he passed the examination. disappointing
* The film was disappointing. I expected it to be much better.
shocking
* The news was shocking.
interested
* Julia is very interested in politics. (not 'interesting in politics')
* Are you interested in buying a car? I'm trying to sell mine.
surprised
* Everybody was surprised that he passed the examination.
disappointed
* I was disappointed with the film. I expected it to be much better.
shocked
* We were very shocked when we heard the news.
EXERCISES
97.1 Complete the sentences for each situation. Use the word given + the ending ~ing or ~ed.
1. The film wasn't as good as we had expected. (disappoint-)
a. The film was _disappointing._
b. We were _disappointed_ with the film.
2. Diana teaches young children. It's a very hard job but she enjoys it. (exhaust-)
a. She enjoys her job but it's often ---.
b. At the end of a day's work, she is often ---.
3. It's been raining all day. I hate this weather. (depress-)
a. This weather is ---.
b. This weather makes me ---.
c. It's silly to get --- because of the weather.
4. Clare is going to the United States next month. She has never been there before. (excit-)
a. It will be an --- experience for her.
b. Going to new places is always ---.
c. She is really --- about going to the United States.
97.2 Choose the correct word.
1. I was _disappointing/disappointed_ with the film. I had expected it to be better.
2. Are you _interesting/interested_ in football?
3. The football match was quite _exciting/excited_ I enjoyed it.
4. It's sometimes _embarrassing/embarrassed_ when you have to ask people for money.
5. Do you easily get _embarrassing/embarrassed?_
6. I had never expected to get the job. I was really _amazing/amazed_ when I was offered it.
7. She has really learnt very fast. She has made _astonishing/astonished_ progress.
8. 1 didn't find the situation funny. I was not _amusing/amused._
9. It was a really _terrifying/terrified_ experience. Afterwards everybody was very _shocking/shocked._
10 Why do you always look so _boring/bored?_ Is your life really so _boring/bored?_
11. He's one of the most _boring/bored_ people I've ever met. He never stops talking and he never says anything _interesting/interested._
97.3 Complete the sentences using one of the words in the box.
amusing/amused confusing/confused exhausting/exhausted annoying/annoyed disgusting/disgusted interesting/interested boring/bored exciting/excited surprising/surprised
1. He works very hard. It's not _surprising_ that he's always tired.
2. I've got nothing to do. I'm ---.
3. The teacher's explanation was ---. Most of the students didn't understand it.
4. The kitchen hadn't been cleaned for ages. It was really ---.
5. I seldom visit art galleries. I'm not particularly --- in art.
6. There's no need to get --- just because I'm a few minutes late.
7. The lecture was ---. I fell asleep.
8. I asked Emily if she wanted to come out with us but she wasn't ---.
9. I've been working very hard all day and now I'm ---.
10. I'm starting a new job next week. I'm quite --- about it.
11. Tom is very good at telling funny stories. He can be very ---.
12. Liz is a very --- person. She knows a lot, she's travelled a lot and she's done lots of different things.
97.1
2 a. exhausting b. exhausted
3 a. depressing b. depressed c. depressed
4 a. exciting b. exciting c. excited
97.2
2 interested 3 exciting
4 embarrassing 5 embarrassed
6 amazed 7 astonishing
8 amused
9 terrifying ... shocked
10 bored ... boring
11 boring ... interesting
97.3
2 bored 3 confusing
4 disgusting 5 interested
6 annoyed 7 boring
8 interested 9 exhausted
10 excited 11 amusing
12 interesting
