Using ING & ED Adjectives
In today’s post we are going to have a look at the difference between adjectives which end in ED and ING and how we can use them both. This can be quite a difficult concept for non native speakers to understand which is why we frequently hear mistakes such as “I am very tiring” instead of “I am very tired.”
So what is the difference between them both?
Usually we use adjectives ending in ING to describe the characteristics of a person, a thing or a situation. Eg,
- The journey was exhausting, 12 hours by bus!
We use adjectives ending in ED to describe a feeling or emotion. Eg,
- He was frightened when he saw the spider.
Some other examples:
- My nephew was amused by the clown.
- We are going in a helicopter, how exciting.
- I thought her new idea was absolutely fascinating.
- I’m sorry I can’t come tonight, I’m completely exhausted.
- It’s ok, it’s only me. Don’t be alarmed.
- I was really embarrassed when I fell over in the street.
I hope you found this post helpful. If you have any questions, leave a comment below!
