UNIT 98. Adjectives ending in –ing and –ed (boring/ bored etc) ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN USE FOR INTERMEDIATE

ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN USE FOR INTERMEDIATE

UNIT 98. Adjectives ending in –ing and –ed (boring/ bored etc)

A	Many adjectives end in -ing and -ed, for example: boring and bored. Study this example situation: Jane has been doing the same job for a very long time. Every day she does exactly the same thing again and again. She doesn't enjoy her job any more and would like to do something different. Jane's job is boring. Jane is bored (with her job). Somebody is bored if something (or somebody else) is boring. Or, if something is boring, it makes you bored. So: √ Jane is bored because her job is boring. Jane's job is boring, so Jane is bored. (not Jane is boring) √ If a person is boring, this means that they make other people bored: √ George always talks about the same things. He's really boring.
B	Compare adjectives ending in -ing and -ed: In these examples, the -ing adjective tells you about the job. √ I'm bored with my job √ I'm not interested in my job any more. √ I get very tired doing my job. √ I'm not satisfied with my job. √ My job makes me depressed. (etc.) In these examples, the -ed adjective tells you how somebody feels (about the job) Compare these examples: interesting √ Julia thinks politics is interesting. √ Did you meet anyone interesting at the party? surprising √ It was surprising that he passed the exam disappointing √ The movie was disappointing. We expected it to be much better. shocking √ The news was shocking. interested √ Julia is interested in politics. (not interesting in politics) √ Are you interested in buying a car? I'm trying to sell mine. surprised √ Everybody was surprised that he passed the exam. disappointed √ We were disappointed with the movie. We expected it to be much better. shocked √ I was shocked when I heard the news.

EXERCISES

98.1	Complete the sentences for each situation. Use the word in brackets+ -ing or -ed. 1 The movie wasn't as good as we had expected. (disappoint... ) a The movie was ____ disappointing. ______ b We were _____ disappointed ______ with the movie. 2 Donna teaches young children. It’s a very hard job, but she enjoys it. (exhaust... ) a She enjoys her job, but it's often ____________________. At the end of a day's work, she is often ____________________. b 3 It’s been raining all day. I hate this weather. (depress... ) a This weather is ____________________. This weather makes me ____________________. It's silly to get ____________________ because of the weather. b c 4 Clare is going to Mexico next month. She has never been there before. (excit...) a It will be an ____________________ experience for her. Going to new places is always ____________________. She is really ____________________ about going to Mexico. b c
98.2	Choose the correct word. 1 I was disappointing /disappointed with the film. I had expected it to be better. (disappointed is correct) 2 Are you interesting /interested in football? 3 The new project sounds exciting /excited. I'm looking forward to working on it. 4 It's embarrassing /embarrassed when you have to ask people for money. 5 Do you easily get embarrassing /embarrassed? 6 I had never expected to get the job. I was really amazing /amazed when I was offered it. 7 She has really learnt very fast. She has made amazing /amazed progress. 8 I didn't find the situation funny. I was not amusing /amused. 9 It was a really terrifying /terrified experience. Everybody was very shocking /shocked. 10 Why do you always look so boring /bored? Is your life really so boring /bored? 11 He's one of the most boring /bored people I've ever met. He never stops talking and he never says anything interesting /interested.
98.3	Complete each sentence using a word from the box. amusing/ amused annoying/ annoyed boring/ bored confusing/ confused disgusting/ disgusted exciting/ excited exhausting/ exhausted interesting/ interested surprising/ surprised 1 He works very hard. It's not ____ surprising _____ that he's always tired. 2 I've got nothing to do. I'm _______________________________. 3 The teacher's explanation was ________________. Most of the students didn't understand it. 4 The kitchen hadn't been cleaned for ages. It was really _____________ I don't visit art galleries very often. I'm not particularly _____________in art. There's no need to get _____________just because I'm a few minutes late. The lecture was _____________I fell asleep. 5 6 7 8 I've been working very hard all day and now I'm _____________ I'm starting a new job next week. I'm very _____________ about it. Steve is good at telling funny stories. He can be very _____________. Helen is a very _____________person. She knows a lot, she's travelled a lot and she's done lots of different things. 9 10 11

ANSWER KEY