Grammar: Participle Adjectives

 

Participle Adjectives

• Some participles (like 'bored' or 'boring') can be used as adjectives. These are used in a slightly different way from normal adjectives. We usually use the past participle (ending in -ed) to talk about how someone feels:

• I was really bored during the flight (NOT: I was really boring during the flight).
• She's interested in history (NOT: She's really interesting in history).
• John's frightened of spiders (NOT: John's frightening of spiders).

We usually use the present participle (ending in -ing) to talk about the person, thing, or situation which has caused the feeling:

• It was such a long, boring flight (so I was bored).
• I read a really interesting book about history (so I was interested).
• Many people find spiders frightening (so they're frightened when they see spiders).

Be careful! 'I'm boring' is very different from 'I'm bored'! 'I'm boring' means I cause other people to be bored. This is not good! Here are some examples of when one person causes a feeling in another person:

• I was talking to such a boring guy at the party. He talked about himself for an hour!
• She's a really interesting woman. She's lived all over the world and speaks five languages.
• My maths teacher at school was really frightening! He was always shouting at the students.

These participle adjectives make their comparative by using 'more' (not -er) and their superlative by using 'most' (not -est):

• I was more frightened of dogs than spiders when I was a child.
• That book is more boring than this one.
• I think Dr Smith's lesson was more interesting than Dr Brown's.

• For 24 hours on the flight to Australia, I was the most bored I've ever been.
• I think this is the most interesting talk we've heard today.
• It was the most frightening film that he'd ever seen.

Participle Adjectives Exercise 1 (based on the list below)
Participle Adjectives Exercise 2 (based on the list below)

List of common -ed and -ing adjectives

• Download this list in PDF here
• Download my much longer full list (no examples) in PDF here

alarming What an alarming noise!	alarmed I was alarmed by the loud bang.
amusing That TV programme is really amusing.	amused He was amused to hear his little son singing in the bath.
boring I've never seen such a boring film!	bored The students looked bored as the teacher talked and talked.
confusing I find these instructions very confusing! Could you come and help me?	confused I was confused, because I asked two people and they told me two different things.
depressing This weather is depressing! Is it ever going to stop raining?	depressed I was feeling depressed, so I stayed at home with hot chocolate and a good book.
embarrassing That is the most embarrassing photo! I look terrible!	embarrassed John was really embarrassed when he fell over in front of his new girlfriend.
exciting It's a really exciting book. I couldn't wait to find out what happened at the end.	excited I'm so excited! I'm going on holiday tomorrow!
exhausting I hate doing housework! It's exhausting!	exhausted Julie was so exhausted after her exams, she spent the next three days sleeping.
fascinating The brain is fascinating, isn't it? It's amazing how much it can do.	fascinated Joan was fascinated by her grandmother's stories of life in the 1920s.
frightening What a frightening film! I don't want to walk home on my own now!	frightened I was really frightened of bees when I was little, but I don't mind them now.
frustrating It's frustrating when you want to say something in another language, but you don't know the word.	frustrated I tried all morning to send an email, but it wouldn't work. I was so frustrated!
interesting That was a very interesting book.	interested She's interested in animals, so she's thinking of studying to be a vet.
overwhelming I find London a bit overwhelming. It's so busy and noisy.	overwhelmed Julie felt overwhelmed. She'd moved house, got a new job and was learning to drive, all at the same time.
relaxing A nice hot bath is so relaxing after a long day.	relaxed She was so relaxed, sitting in front of the fire, that she didn't want to move.
satisfying John loves his new job as a teacher. He says it's very satisfying when he makes a student understand.	satisfied I'm very satisfied that I managed to order the meal in French.
shocking What a shocking crime! It's terrible.	shocked I was shocked when my co-worked admitted stealing some money.
surprising It's surprising how many people don't want to travel to another country.	surprised She was surprised when she arrived at her class and found the other students doing an exam. She'd thought it was a normal lesson.
terrifying What a terrifying dog! It's huge!	terrified My little son is terrified of the dark. We always leave a light on in his room at night.
thrilling What thrilling music! It's some of the most beautiful music I've ever heard.	thrilled I was thrilled to win first prize in the competition.
tiring My job is really tiring. I don't get home until 10pm sometimes.	tired David's too tired to come to the cinema tonight. He's going to go to bed early.

Participle Adjectives Exercise 1 (based on the list above)
Participle Adjectives Exercise 2 (based on the list above)