Participle Adjectives / Participial adjectives

Participles
A participle is a word that may function as a verb or as adjective. It can be
used in verb tenses or as a modifier.

Present participle
The present participle ends in -ing form.

Examples:

 playing
 visiting
 working

Past participle
The past participle ends in -ed if it is a regular verb. However it may end
differently if it is irregular. See the list of irregular verbs.

Examples:

 painted
 deceived
 burnt

Adjectival participle
Adjectival participles are used like adjectives. They are derived from verbs
and contrast with verbal participles, which are considered to be forms of
verbs rather than adjectives.

Examples:

 a very frightening experience.
 a very interesting book.
 a working mother
 a nicely written article.
 a completely burnt house.
 a newly painted room.
Choose the right answer (Participial adjectives ending in -ed or -ing)

1. It is a      job.

2. I always feel terribly      at the end of the day.

3. Why are you so      about the new teacher?

4. I have got some      news for you.

5. He came up with a      remark.

6. The teacher was      by her students.

7. He was      by her comment.

8. He's got an      way of smiling.

9. I am      by the food.

10. What a      food! I can't eat it.

Participle Adjectives
 Download a list of common -ed and -ing adjectives in PDF here
 Download my much longer full list (no examples) in PDF here

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

Participle Adjectives 1
Choose the correct adjective:

1) My nephew was 

Check
Show
(amused / amusing) by the clown.

[ . ]
2) It's so  Check
Show
(frustrated / frustrating) ! No matter how much I study I can't seem to remember
this vocabulary.

[ . ]
3) This lesson is so 

Check
Show
(bored / boring).

[ . ]
4) I'm feeling 

Check
Show
(depressed / depressing) , so I'm going to go home, eat some chocolate, and go to
bed early with a good book.

[ . ]
5) I thought her idea was absolutely 

Check
Show
(fascinated / fascinating) .

[ . ]
6) This maths problem is so 

Check
Show
(confused / confusing) ! Can you help me?

[ . ]
7) The teacher was really  Check
Show
(amused / amusing) , so the lesson passed quickly.

[ . ]
8) The journey was 

Check
Show
(exhausted / exhausting) ! Twelve hours by bus!

[ . ]
9) The plane began to move in a rather 

Check
Show
(alarmed / alarming) way.

[ . ]
10) He was 

Check
Show
(frightened / frightening) when he saw the spider.

[ . ]
11) I was really 

Check
Show
(embarrassed / embarrassing) when I fell over in the street.

[ . ]
12) That film was so  Check
Show
(depressed / depressing) ! There was no happy ending for any of the characters.

[ . ]
13) I'm sorry, I can't come tonight. I'm completely 

Check
Show
(exhausted / exhausting).

[ . ]
14) We are going in a helicopter? How 

Check
Show
(excited / exciting)!

[ . ]
15) Don't show my baby photos to people, Mum! It's so 

Check
Show
(embarrassed / embarrassing).

[ . ]
16) It's okay, it's only me. Don't be 

Check
Show
(alarmed / alarming).

[ . ]
17) My sister is so  Check
Show
(excited / exciting) because she is going on holiday tomorrow.

[ . ]
18) I hate long flights. I'm always really 

Check
Show
(bored / boring).

[ . ]
19) She looked very 

Check
Show
(confused / confusing) when I told her we had to change the plan.

[ . ]
20) John was 

(fascinated / fascinating) by Mandarin when he first started learning languages.

He decided to study more and now he can speak it fluently.

[ . ]

Participle Adjectives 1
 Choose the correct adjective:

1) My nephew was 

Check
Show
(amused / amusing) by the clown.

[ amused ]
2) It's so 

Check
Show
(frustrated / frustrating) ! No matter how much I study I can't seem to remember this
vocabulary.

[ frustrating ]
3) This lesson is so 

Check
Show
(bored / boring).

[ boring ]
4) I'm feeling 

Check
Show
(depressed / depressing) , so I'm going to go home, eat some chocolate, and go to bed
early with a good book.

[ depressed ]
5) I thought her idea was absolutely  Check
Show
(fascinated / fascinating) .

[ fascinating ]
6) This maths problem is so 

Check
Show
(confused / confusing) ! Can you help me?

[ confusing ]
7) The teacher was really 

Check
Show
(amused / amusing) , so the lesson passed quickly.

[ amusing ]
8) The journey was 

Check
Show
(exhausted / exhausting) ! Twelve hours by bus!

[ exhausting ]
9) The plane began to move in a rather 

Check
Show
(alarmed / alarming) way.

[ alarming ]
10) He was  Check
Show
(frightened / frightening) when he saw the spider.

[ frightened ]
11) I was really 

Check
Show
(embarrassed / embarrassing) when I fell over in the street.

[ embarrassed ]
12) That film was so 

Check
Show
(depressed / depressing) ! There was no happy ending for any of the characters.

[ depressing ]
13) I'm sorry, I can't come tonight. I'm completely 

Check
Show
(exhausted / exhausting).

[ exhausted ]
14) We are going in a helicopter? How 

Check
Show
(excited / exciting)!

[ exciting ]
15) Don't show my baby photos to people, Mum! It's so  Check
Show
(embarrassed / embarrassing).

[ embarrassing ]
16) It's okay, it's only me. Don't be 

Check
Show
(alarmed / alarming).

[ alarmed ]
17) My sister is so 

Check
Show
(excited / exciting) because she is going on holiday tomorrow.

[ excited ]
18) I hate long flights. I'm always really 

Check
Show
(bored / boring).

[ bored ]
19) She looked very 

Check
Show
(confused / confusing) when I told her we had to change the plan.

[ confused ]
20) John was  Check
Show
(fascinated / fascinating) by Mandarin when he first started learning languages. He
decided to study more and now he can speak it fluently.

[ fascinated ]

Participle Adjectives 2
Choose the correct adjective:

1) I am so 

Check
Show
(relaxed / relaxing) that I don't want to move.

[ relaxed ]
2) I find horror films really 

Check
Show
(frightened / frightening) and not at all fun to watch.

[ frightening ]
3) Sometimes I get really 

Check
Show
(frustrated / frustrating) when I can't express myself well in English.

[ frustrated ]
4) We were stopped by a man with a knife who took our money. It was 

Check
Show
(terrified / terrifying).

[ terrifying ]
5) The programme was really  Check
 Show

(interested / interesting).

[ interesting ]
6) She was 

Check
Show
(overwhelmed / over whelming) when everyone cheered and we gave her
presents.

[ overwhelmed ]
7) If I feel stressed, I find taking a bath is often 

Check
Show
(relaxed / relaxing).

[ relaxing ]
8) I'm really 

Check
Show
(tired / tiring) . I think I'll go to bed.

[ tired ]
9) He's very 

Check
Show
(interested / interesting) in history.

[ interested ]
10) The trip was  Check
 Show

(overwhelmed / overwhelming), with so many things to do and it was all so new.

[ overwhelming ]
11) She is never 

Check
Show
(satisfied / satisfying) with her work.

[ satisfied ]
12) Cleaning is so 

Check
Show
(tired / tiring) ! I think I'll have a rest.

[ tiring ]
13) She thought the ride on the rollercoaster was 

Check
Show
(thrilled / thrilling).

[ thrilling ]
14) I was really 

Check
Show
(surprised / surprising) when I saw you. I had thought you were on holiday.

[ surprised ]
15) My grandmother was  Check
Show
(shocked / shocking) by the man's bad language.

[ shocked ]
16) My niece is 

Check
Show
(terrified / terrifying) of dogs.

[ terrified ]
17) Thank you so much for the prize! I'm 

Check
Show
(thrilled / thrilling).

[ thrilled ]
18) My job is very 

Check
Show
(satisfied / satisfying) . I love helping people.

[ satisfying ]
19) The news was so 

Check
Show
(shocked / shocking) that she burst into tears.

[ shocking ]
20) My exam results were great! It's really 
(surprised / surprising) but good, of course.

[ surprising ]
The Exciting World of Participial Adjectives

The English language has a lot of adjectives. Some estimates put the
number at several thousand. And while those numbers may
sound frightening, adjectives can be exciting!

In English, many adjectives come from verbs. In today’s program, we will

tell you about participial adjectives – adjectives that we make from verbs.

To understand these adjectives, we must first get to know participles.

What is a participle?

Don’t worry: Participles are simpler than they sound. A participle is a

word that is made from a verb and usually ends in -ING or -ED. For
example, the verb “to surprise” can be made into the words “surprising”
and “surprised.”

Participles can act as one of three parts of speech:

1) a verb tense when used with the verb “to be”

2) a gerund

3) an adjective.

Today, we turn our attention to adjectives.

Participial adjectives are used just like normal adjectives. In other words,
they can appear before a noun, such as in the words “surprising results.”
Or, they can appear after linking verbs, such as in the sentence, “The
results were surprising.”

Past or present?

There are two types of participles: the present participle, which ends in –
ING, and the past participle, which ends in -ED.
 Adjectives with -ED endings tell us how people feel about something or
someone. It is less common for words with the –ED ending to describe
non-living things, situations or ideas.

And, adjectives with -ING endings often describe a quality of a person,

thing or idea. They describe the thing that causes a feeling or emotion.

Let’s look at two examples of the verb “to shock” as a participial adjective
and compare their meanings:

I was shocked by the president’s words.

The president’s words were shocking.

In the first sentence, “shocked,” tells us how the speaker felt. In the
second, “shocking” describes the thing that caused the speaker’s feelings –
the president’s words.

In other words, the shocking words made the person feel shocked.

Common mistakes

English learners sometimes have trouble choosing between the endings.

This is especially true for certain adjectives, such as bored / boring,
interested / interesting and confused / confusing.

There are two common mistakes that happen when learners choose the
wrong ending:

1. The person incorrectly uses -ED to talk about the thing that caused

the feelings in someone.
(OR)

2. The person uses the wrong ending to express

their intended meaning about someone.
Listen to an example of the first problem:

I don’t like Professor Holt. His writing class is so bored!

In this example, the person incorrectly used the -ED ending to describe
the thing that caused boredom: the writing class. Here is the correct way
to say that:

I don’t like Professor Holt. His writing class is so boring!

Or, if they wanted to express their feelings about the class, they could say
this:

I don’t like Professor Holt. I’m always bored in his writing class.

Sadly, we can’t do anything to make Professor Holt’s class more fun.

Let’s look at an example of the second common mistake: using the wrong
ending to express an intended meaning about a person. And, let’s
continue with Professor Holt. Listen:

Professor Holt is so bored! I always fall asleep in his class.

Remember that the -ED ending is used to describe the feelings of

someone. So, this example means that the professor feels bored. But, we
know that this wasn’t the speaker’s intended meaning. Here’s the
intended meaning:

Professor Holt is so boring! I always fall asleep in his class.

This example expresses a quality about Professor Holt, which is that he is

a boring person.

Here is a tip from the British Council on how to know which ending to

use: Remember that people can be boring but only if they make other
people feel bored. The same tip applies to other participial adjectives.

Adjective vs. verb

Another common difficulty is mistaking participial adjectives with

continuous verb tenses or with passive voice verbs.
First, let’s talk about continuous verb tenses. These are formed with the
verb “to be” + the present participle. So, participial adjectives ending in -
ING can look like a verb tense.

Listen to two examples with the word “annoying” and guess which one

uses a continuous verb tense and which uses a participial adjective.

The baby’s cries are annoying the tired travelers.

The baby’s cries are annoying and the travelers are tired.

If you guessed correctly, you are within the top percentile of English
speakers. That’s right -- even native English speakers have difficulty
telling the difference.

The first sentence uses the present continuous verb tense. But in the
second sentence, “annoying” is a participial adjective. It describes the
baby’s cries, which is the thing causing the speaker’s annoyed feelings.
The word “are” in the second sentence is simply a linking verb.

English speakers also sometimes cannot recognize the difference between

passive voice verbs and participial adjectives. Both are formed by the verb
“to be” + the past participle.

Listen to these two examples and test yourself:

The child was amazed by the clown.

The child was amazed.

Tell us which sentence you think has a passive voice verb and which has a
participial adjective with a linking verb.

Well, we hope you feel as inspired by the exciting world of participial

adjectives as we do.

That’s our program for today.

Practice
Choose the correct participial adjective (-ED or -ING) for each sentence.
Write your answers in the Comments section.

1. I went to Thailand last month. It was excited/exciting!

2. She is interesting/interested in joining a sports team.

3. He was really tiring/tired  when he left work last night.

4. I don’t understand the homework. This class is confused/confusing!

5. I am embarrassed/embarrassing by my child’s behavior.

Words in This Story

linking verb – n. a verb which connects a subject to its predicate without
expressing an action; linking verbs are used to re-identify or describe
their subjects

intended – adj. in your mind as a purpose or goal

tip – n. a piece of advice or useful information

guess – v. to form an opinion or give an answer about something when

you do not know much or anything about it

Identifying a Participial Adjective

The participial adjectives are a major subclass of adjectives. They can be distinguished by
their endings, usually either -ed or -ing. Some exceptions to the rules
include misunderstood and unknown, which also function like these special adjectives.
They are called participial adjectives because they have the same endings as verb
participles.
Function in a Sentence

These adjectives are really meant to function like any other adjective: basically, they help
to describe a noun. They might come from a verb form, or they might merely imitate the
structure, but they always function as a descriptive adjective. Let’s look at some examples
of participial adjectives in sentences below. (Some example sentences have more than one
adjective.)

 The tempting cookie platter made my mouth salivate.

 The fascinating book was a thrilling read.
 The interesting story made a compelling point.
 Sally was bored by the conversation.
 My hardworking, tired mother deserves a break.
 My frustrating experience at the restaurant made me angry.
 I have been agitated long enough by your nonsense.

Participial adjectives form a very large portion of all of the adjectives in the English
language and help us be more accurate in our description of people, places, things, and
experiences when we speak and write. Generally, the past participle (ending in -ed) is used
to describe how someone feels, while the present participle (ending in -ing) is used to
describe what made them feel that way.

Adjectives From a Verb

You might be wondering, what is the origin of these participial adjectives? Why do we
have so many of these describing words that actually look like certain verb forms? Some of
the participial adjectives that end in -ed have a corresponding verb form, whereas others do
not.

In other words, some adjectives only look like they come from verbs – and we still call
them participial adjectives. In this way, “to excite” becomes excited and “to determine”
becomes determined. However, there is no “to talent” that forms the participial
adjective talented.
It is more common that the participial adjectives that end in -ing have a corresponding verb
form. These include annoying, exasperating, worrying, thrilling, misleading, gratifying,
and time-consuming.
Words to Modify Participial Adjectives
Participial adjectives do not just come in one form. You can modify participial adjectives to
increase or decrease their intensity and use them to compare different nouns. This can be
accomplished by using intensifiers like very, extremely, more, and less, or by
forming comparative and superlative forms. Look at the examples below, using the
adjective annoying:

 Annoying
 Very annoying
 Extremely annoying
 Less annoying
 More annoying
 Most annoying
In all of these forms, annoying serves as the participial adjective but it is treated differently
in each case. Look at a few ways we can use the above treatments of annoying in a
sentence:

 She was so annoying.

 He is extremely annoying.
 It was more annoying to me that he did not cancel in advance.
 The most annoying thing was that she did not speak up for me.