Practice -ed and -ing adjectives with B1 grammar exercises. Test your understanding with gap fill questions and clear explanations for learners.
-Ed and -Ing Adjectives Exercises
Adding -ed or -ing to a verb makes an adjective in English. These adjectives are very common at the B1 level and are often used in grammar tests. The main difference between -ed and -ing adjectives is what they talk about.
-Ing Adjectives
-ing adjectives describe things, situations, or people that make you feel a certain way.
Meaning
They talk about how something makes people feel.
Structure
verb + -ing → adjective
Examples
- The lesson was interesting.
- The movie is boring.
- It was a surprising result.
The lesson, movie, and result make the feeling in these sentences.
-Ed Adjectives
-Ed adjectives tell how someone feels because of something.
Meaning
They talk about how it feels, not what caused it.
Structure
verb + -ed → adjective
Examples
- I am interested in history.
- She felt bored during the movie.
- They were surprised by the news.
In this case, the adjectives tell us how people feel.
The main difference between -Ing and -Ed
| Adjective Type | Describes | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -ing | The cause of the feeling | The story is exciting. |
| -ed | The person’s feeling | I am excited about the story. |
A simple way to remember is
- -ing = the cause
- -ed = the feeling
Common Verb Pairs
Some verbs are very common in B1 exercises:
- interest → interesting / interested
- bore → boring / bored
- excite → exciting / excited
- tire → tiring / tired
- confuse → confusing / confused
Examples
- The instructions were confusing.
- I was confused by the instructions.
Why This Matters for Tests
-Ed and -ing adjectives are common in:
- Exercises to fill in the gaps
- Questions with more than one answer
- Tasks to fix sentences
Knowing the difference will help you avoid making very common mistakes at the B1 level.
