2. ~ing (present participle) vs ~ed (past participle) Many learners of English confuse the ~ing (present participle) with ~ed (past participle) when they are used as adjectives expressing emotions.

3. Compare: I am boringwith I am bored The present participle (~ing) is used to show who or what causes the feeling. So in the first example, I am boring, I make other people feel bored. Maybe I don’t talk very much or do not have many interesting things to talk about. No matter what the reason, when people are around me they soon start to yawn.

4. Compare: I am boringwith I am bored The past participle (~ed) is used to show who or what ‘has’ or experiences the feeling. So in the second example, I am bored, I am not interested in whatever is happening around me. Maybe I am in a boring lecture (the professor causes me to be bored) or I don’t have a good book to read at home and there is nothing interesting on television.

5. Choose the correct answers in the dialogues below A: I heard you had a blind date* last Saturday. How did it go? B: It was so boring/bored because all he talked about was his work. A: What did you talk about? B: Nothing much. I hope he thinks I’m boring/bored and never calls me again.

6. amazing/amazedamusing/amusedannoying/annoyedboring/boredchallenging/challengedconfusing/confuseddepressing/depresseddisappointing/disappointedencouraging/encouragedembarrassing/embarrassedexciting/excited

7. exhausting/exhaustedfascinating/fascinatedfrightening/frightenedfrustrating/frustratedinsulting/insultedinteresting/interestedmoving/moved

8. pleasing/pleasedrelaxing/relaxedsatisfying/satisfiedshocking/shockedsurprising/surprisedthrilling/thrilledtiring/tiredworrying/worried