LONGMAN ENGLISH GRAMMAR PRACTICE

6.3 Adjectives that behave like nouns; '-ed/-ing' endings

6.3B Adjectives ending in '-ed' and '-ing': 'interested/interesting'

[> LEG 6.15, App 10]

1 We use some past participles ending in -ed (e.g. excited) and some present participles ending

in -ing (e.g. exciting) as adjectives. Common pairs of -ed/-ing adjectives are:

amazed/amazing, annoyed/annoying, bored/boring, enchanted/enchanting, excited/exciting,

interested/interesting, pleased/pleasing, tired/tiring.

Similar pairs are: delighted/delightful, impressed/impressive, upset/upsetting.

2 We often use -ed endings to describe people:

The story interested John. -> John was interested in the story.

We often use -ing endings to describe things, events, etc.: The story was interesting.

3 We can also use -ing endings to describe people: Isn't John interesting! Compare:

Gloria was interesting to be with. (= that was the effect she had on others)

Gloria was interested. (= that was the effect someone or something had on her)

Write: Rewrite these sentences using -ed/-ing or other endings. Make necessary changes.

1 The coincidence amazed us. We

2 The journey tired us. The journey

3 The experience upset Sylvia. Sylvia

4 The experience upset us. The experience

5 Gloria enchanted me. Gloria

6 I enchanted Gloria. Gloria

7 The children delighted us. The children

8 The children delighted us. We

9 The new building impresses us. The new building

10 The new building impresses everybody. Everybody

Study:

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6.3C Context

Write: Put in the correct forms of the words in brackets: the + adjective or -ed/-ing adjectives.

A HUMAN IDEAL

A just society is a human ideal. We would all like to live in a place where (rich)

I ttl&XúÚtu. are not too rich and (poor) (^2) are not too poor;
where no one would be (shock)^3 or (embarrass)
(^4) at the way (old) (^5) are cared for. (blind)
(^6) would have as much opportunity as (sighted)
(^7) (deaf) (^8) would be able to develop their skills.
(unemployed)^9 would not depend on the state, because no one
would be unemployed, (healthy)^10 would take care of (sick)
I I The most innocent people in society, (young)
(^12) would be protected. In this happy place no one would feel
(depress)^13 or (distress)^14 Unfortunately, in
the real world, life can be both (distress)^15 and (depress)
(^16) So let's be thankful for a sense of humour. I recently saw a
notice in an undertaker's window and I wasn't sure whether it was addressed to
(living)^17 or (dead)^18. It said: 'Once you've tried
one of our funerals, you'll never want to try another!'
You'll never want to try another!