-ed or -ing Adjectives: Basic Feelings

-ed and -ing adjectives are easy to confuse because they often come from the same verb: bored/boring, interested/interesting, excited/exciting. The difference is not about past and present time. It is about meaning. Use the -ed adjective for the person or animal that feels the emotion: "I was bored," "She is interested," "They were excited." Use the -ing adjective for the thing, event, or situation that causes the emotion: "The lesson was boring," "The book is interesting," "The trip was exciting."

This exercise focuses on the most common feeling pairs in short, clear sentences. Before you type an answer, ask two questions: Who feels this? and What causes this feeling? If the blank describes the feeling receiver, choose the -ed form. If it describes the cause, choose the -ing form.