-ed and -ing adjectives

Start with the distinction

The resources on this page focus on adjectives ending in -ed and -ing. A useful starting point is the mind map that separates how people feel from the situations, things or people that cause those feelings. It gives examples such as “I am confused” and “This book is so boring.”

Another mind map brings the two endings together with pairs such as interested and interesting, and surprised and surprising. Compare the pairs as you study: one form describes a feeling, while the other describes what causes it.

Practice with cards and quizzes

The flashcard deck “Adjectives ed/ing” pairs words such as relaxed and relaxing, and includes short sentences like “I feel relaxed” and “This activity is interesting.” Use the pairs to check whether you can choose an ending before looking at the example.

Next, try the quiz on adjectives ending in -ed and -ing. One item asks you to correct a sentence about not feeling bored at night; another asks whether a sentence about feeling tired is correct. “Participle adjectives” gives you more sentences to consider. For a longer context, “Test on adjectives ending in -ed and -ing” uses a story with blanks to fill.

Connect the resources

This topic is one section of the Adjectives unit in English language. The maps, cards and quizzes offer different ways to work on that section: maps organize the distinction, cards show word pairs, and quizzes let you practice in sentences.

If a quiz answer is difficult, return to a map and compare how it describes feelings and their causes. Then look at a flashcard pair before trying another sentence. Pick a resource and work through it at your own pace.