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Unit 98 · Adjectives and adverbs

Adjectives ending in -ing and -ed (boring/bored etc.)

Study

A

Many adjectives end 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 her job any more and would like to do something different. Jane's job is boring. Jane is bored with her job.

Somebody is bored or gets bored if something (or somebody else) is boring. If something is boring, you get bored with it.

So:

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Jane is bored because her job is boring.

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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:

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Paul always talks about the same things. He's really boring.

B

Compare adjectives ending in -ing and -ed:

My job is boring interesting tiring satisfying depressing (etc.)
I'm bored with my job. I'm not interested in my job any more. I get very tired doing my job. I'm not satisfied with my job. My job makes me depressed. (etc.)

In these examples, the -ing adjective tells you about the job

In these examples, the -ed adjective tells you how somebody feels (about the job).

Compare these examples:

**interesting** **interested**
Julia thinks politics is **interesting**. Julia is **interested** in politics. (not interesting in politics)
Did you meet anyone **interesting** at the party? Are you **interested** in buying a car? I'm trying to sell mine.
**surprising** **surprised**
It was **surprising** that he passed the exam. Everybody was **surprised** that he passed the exam.
**disappointing** **disappointed**
The movie was **disappointing**. We expected it to be better. We were **disappointed** with the movie. We expected it to be better.
**shocking** **shocked**
The news was **shocking**. I was **shocked** when I heard the news.

Exercises (3)

0/3 exercises checked
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98.1

Complete the sentences for each situation. Use the word in brackets + -ing or -ed.

  1. 1
    1 The movie wasn't as good as we had expected. (disappoint…)
    a The movie was .example
  2. 2
    1 The movie wasn't as good as we had expected. (disappoint…)
    b We were with the movie.example
  3. 3
    2 Donna teaches young children. It's a very hard job, but she enjoys it. (exhaust…)
    a She enjoys her job, but it's often .
  4. 4
    2 Donna teaches young children. It's a very hard job, but she enjoys it. (exhaust…)
    b At the end of a day's work, she is often .
  5. 5
    3 It's been raining all day. I hate this weather. (depress…)
    a This weather is .
  6. 6
    3 It's been raining all day. I hate this weather. (depress…)
    b This weather makes me .
  7. 7
    3 It's been raining all day. I hate this weather. (depress…)
    c It's silly to get because of the weather.
  8. 8
    4 Clare is going to Mexico next month. She's never been there before. (excit…)
    a It will be an experience for her.
  9. 9
    4 Clare is going to Mexico next month. She's never been there before. (excit…)
    b Going to new places is always .
  10. 10
    4 Clare is going to Mexico next month. She's never been there before. (excit…)
    c She is really about going to Mexico.
98.2

Choose the correct word.

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98.3

Complete each sentence using a word from the box.

amusing/amusedannoying/annoyedboring/boredconfusing/confuseddisgusting/disgustedexciting/excitedexhausting/exhaustedinteresting/interestedsurprising/surprised
  1. 1
    You work very hard. It's not that you're always tired.example
  2. 2
    Some people get very easily. They always need something new.
  3. 3
    The teacher's explanation was . Nobody understood it.
  4. 4
    The kitchen hadn't been cleaned for ages. It was really .
  5. 5
    I don't go to art galleries very often. I'm not very in art.
  6. 6
    There's no need to get just because I'm a few minutes late.
  7. 7
    The lecture was . I fell asleep.
  8. 8
    I've been working very hard all day and now I'm .
  9. 9
    I'm starting a new job next week. I'm very about it.
  10. 10
    Steve is good at telling funny stories. He can be very .
  11. 11
    Helen is a very person. She knows a lot, she's travelled a lot and she's done lots of different things.