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 diff erent.

Jane’s job is boring.

Jane is bored with her job.

Somebody is bored or gets bored if something (or somebody else) is boring. If something is boring, you get bored with it. 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:

Paul 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:

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

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