Participle Adjectives Exercise 1
level: Intermediate (B1/B2)
Participial adjectives come in pairs — one ending in -ing, one in -ed — and choosing the wrong one changes the meaning entirely. This is exercise 1 of 2. The key question is always: does the adjective describe how someone feels, or does it describe something that causes a feeling?
Grammar review
Participle adjectives: -ed vs -ing
Many English adjectives come in pairs — one ending in -ed and one in -ing — with very different meanings.
-ED adjectives describe how a person feels (inner state):
I’m ______. (= I feel this way)
-ING adjectives describe what causes the feeling (the stimulus):
The film was ______. (= it causes this feeling in others)
Quick test: Is the subject a person describing their inner state? → use the -ed form. Is the subject a thing or event that produces the reaction? → use the -ing form.
Common error: Using the -ing form to describe a person implies they are causing that feeling in others, not experiencing it themselves. "She was very boring" means she caused boredom in others, not that she felt bored.
Many English adjectives come in pairs — one ending in -ed and one in -ing — with very different meanings.
-ED adjectives describe how a person feels (inner state):
I’m ______. (= I feel this way)
-ING adjectives describe what causes the feeling (the stimulus):
The film was ______. (= it causes this feeling in others)
Quick test: Is the subject a person describing their inner state? → use the -ed form. Is the subject a thing or event that produces the reaction? → use the -ing form.
Common error: Using the -ing form to describe a person implies they are causing that feeling in others, not experiencing it themselves. "She was very boring" means she caused boredom in others, not that she felt bored.
Choose the correct participial adjective for each sentence.
1. The movie was really __________________!
Correct answer: interesting — -ing adjectives describe what causes the feeling — the movie caused interest.
2. I thought it was a good lecture, but I wasn't very __________________ in the topic.
Correct answer: interested — -ed adjectives describe the experiencer — I felt interested.
3. Our town is so __________________! There is nothing to do here.
Correct answer: boring — -ing adjectives describe what causes the feeling — the town causes boredom.
4. Are you __________________ with that game already?
Correct answer: bored — -ed adjectives describe the experiencer — you feel bored.
5. Have you heard her laugh? It's so __________________.
Correct answer: annoying — -ing adjectives describe what causes the feeling — her laugh causes annoyance.
6. I'm really __________________ with one of my coworkers.
Correct answer: annoyed — -ed adjectives describe the experiencer — I feel annoyed.
7. The city was __________________ during the storm.
Correct answer: damaged — -ed = past participle as adjective — the city received the damage.
8. The information was quite ________________ to his reputation.
Correct answer: damaging — -ing adjective — the information was causing damage.
9. I was __________________ by the way she acted.
Correct answer: amused — -ed adjectives describe the experiencer — I felt amused.
10. Do you find this type of humor __________________?
Correct answer: amusing — -ing adjectives describe what causes the feeling — the humor causes amusement.
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER RELATED EXERCISES:
Participle Adjectives 1 (B1/B2)
Participle Adjectives 2 (B1/B2)
Adjective Order 1 (B1/B2)
Adjective Order 2 (B1/B2)
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Participle Adjectives 2 (B1/B2)
Adjective Order 1 (B1/B2)
Adjective Order 2 (B1/B2)
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