-ed v ing Adjectives

Students sometimes make mistakes with the endings of adjectives. Consider the following:

A:	Are you interesting in seeing Gnomio and Juliet with me?
B:	Not really. I think Shakespeare plays are really bored

The majority of adjectives that end in –ing describe the effect that someone of something has on a person’s feelings.

The majority of adjectives that end in –ed describe the feelings that a person experiences.

Are you interested in seeing Gnomio and Juliet with me? (does this event create feelings of interest in you?)
Not really. I think Shakespeare plays are really boring (plays by Shakespeare create feelings of boredom for me)

It is sometimes helpful to think of the distinction being one of causation:

Thing -ing

↓

Feelings -ed

Challenge One
Challenge Two
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Challenge One

Listen to the following people expressing their opinions of Richard III. As you listen, drag the adjectives in the boxes on the left to the one on the right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwtwnuSu9rA
Video ©The Old Vic

What do you notice about the form of all the adjectives that were used? Why do you think this is?

Because all the adjectives are describing feelings that were created by the play

Hide answer.

Challenge Two

At another event, people were asked about what they thought of the New James Bond film Skyfall. Complete their reactions by dragging the –ed or –ing as appropriate to the end of the adjective stem.