-ed adjectives

• Adjectives ending in -ed usually tell us how a

person feels. They are the past participle forms Q Complet e the article. Use -ed or -ing
o f regular verbs, used as adjectives: adject ives formed from thp verbs in
The worried parents waited anxiously fo r news. brackets.
I was exhausted, so I went straight to bed.
• We can also use the past participles o f irregular
This year's Oscars ceremony was not, in
verbs as adjectives. These do not end in -ed:
my view, one of the m ost (0).. exci+iyig..
She died o f a broken heart.
(excite) ever. Presenter Jeremy Hayman is
a first-rate entertainer, who knows how
-in g adjectives to tell (1).............(amuse) jokes but doesn't
know when to stop. He is the kind of
• Adjectives ending in -ing usually describe the
comedian who can make introducing
effect something or someone has on us. They
someone (2).............(interest) but I began
are the -ing forms of verbs, used as adjectives:
to g e t (3).............(annoy) with the less
It was a disappointing film.
than (4).............(flatter) remarks about
This gam e’s so boring.
famous stars present in the audience.
The journey was really exciting.
My jo b is exhausting. However, there were more <5).............
• Here are some common -edl-ing adjectives. (bore) moments, particularly when the
You can check their meaning in a dictionary: speeches of thanks went on for too long.
amused/amusing fascinated/fascinating Not many people are (6).............(interest)
annoyed/annoying frightened/frightening in hearing stars making long speeches
bored/boring interested/interesting thanking their mum!
confused/confusing irritated/irritating Best Actress Jane Taylor must have
disappointed/disappointing satisfied/satisfying felt really (7).............(embarrass) when she
disgusted/disgusting surprised/surprising forgot her director's name. Best Actor
embarrassed/embarrassing terrified/terrifying Howard Harris, however, made a
encouraged/encouraging tired/tiring (8) ..........(move) speech about his recent
excited/exciting struggle with illness. The audience were
• There are many -ed/-ing adjectives which are (9) ..........(surprise) by his frankness and
not connected with feelings. Here are some he kept his speech short, so we didn't
examples: have time to g e t (10).............(bore).
a falling lea f a burning building But really, the m ost (11).............(annoy)
a locked door a computerised database moment of the whole evening was the
long introduction to the ten best films.
I got very (12).............(irritate) when they
got to the fifth film after ten minutes and
were still only half way.

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 ED AND -ING ADJECTIVES

^ Complet e the sent ences. Use -ed or -ing adject ives formed from the verbs in the
box.
annoy bore confuse depress disgust embarrass
frighten interest irritate relax surprise
0 I was getting more and more ... )YTlf.Q f$d... at her questions - she just wouldn’t
stop asking about my private life!
1 He’s had a lot o f bad news recently and is feeling a b i t ............................ - let’s go and
cheer him up.
2 Would you b e .............................in coming to the theatre this evening?
3 Can’t you fix that dripping tap? It’s getting on my nerves - it’s really
i
4 I didn’t expect to see Peter at the party - I was really.............................to see him there.
5 I don’t find horror film s............................ ; in fact, I find them quite funny.
6 I find i t .............................to lie on the sofa and listen to music after a hard day’s work.
7 Leo was getting really.............................with doing the same thing every day.
8 The instructions were very complicated and the students w ere.........................
9 And then I dropped the cake and everybody started laughing. It was really
...!
10 No, of course I won’t eat that! It lo o k s............................!

0 Answ er the quest ions using -ed or -ing adject ives. Use your own ideas.
0 If you failed your next exam, how would you feel?
I ’d he. y e flll.y . .d j-S A p p o iin + e d ...........................................................................................................
1 How would you feel if you climbed Mount Everest?

2 What do you think about the destruction o f the rain forests?

3 What do you think o f people who drop litter?

4 What do your parents think of your friends?

5 If you were flying to New York tomorrow, how would you feel?

6 Whenever you see a beggar, how do you feel?

7 What do you think o f sport on television?

8 When a bus or train is late, how do you feel?

9 How would you feel if you were caught cheating in an exam?

10 How would you feel if a friend organised a surprise party on your birthday?

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 -ED AND -ING ADJECTIVES

Q Complet e the sent ences using -ed or -ing adjectives. Use your own ideas.
0 I find science fiction stories . y & c y . itA+eirei+itog,..
1 I’d feel..........................................if I failed my English test.
2 I’d feel really..........................................if I met my favourite singer.
3 The thought of travelling to the moon i s ............................................
4 I’d b e ..........................................if my best friend forgot my birthday.
5 I wouldn’t b e ..........................................if the economy collapsed.
6 I find lying on the beach on a hot summer day............................................
7 I agree that television i s ............................................
8 Football couldn’t be m o re ............................................

^ Complet e the crossword. Use -ed or -ing adject ives formed from t he verbs in the box.

age
amuse
interest
reward
□
arm surprise
captivate terrify
freeze touch
heat trust
humiliate

Across Down
2 I hear you want to buy a car. Would you be 1 The countess won over the nation with her
in a second-hand Honda? smile.
5 What began as a friendly discussion, soon 3 You shouldn’t have believed him - you’re
became a .............. argument. far to o ................
6 I wasn’t at a ll..............by his jokes. I found 4 My family were deeply.............. by your offer
them rather insulting. o f help and sympathy.
8 I was really..............to see Eric there - I 7 I felt utterly............. when you criticised me
thought he was in China! "in front o f all my friends last night.
9 It’s .............. in here! Will you turn the heater 10 The army, navy and air force are known as
on, please? th e .............. forces.
10 A re.............. aircraft, say those older than ten
years, safe to fly in?
11 Nursing can be a very.............. career, can’t it?
12 I thought someone had broken into our
house - I was absolutely.............. !

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