English language learners are often confused about whether to use the present or the past participle. Here are some ways to make these adjectives less confusing.
Most verbs which describe actions that produce feelings, such as the verb to tire, may use either the present participle (tiring) or the past participle (tired) as an adjective. Learners are often confused by these because the meaning of the participles is different. Two guidelines for their use can help the learner use them correctly.
Guideline:
1) The -ing form describes the cause of the feeling, while the -ed form describes the result of a feeling.
Studying all night is so tiring that I’m always tired.
Studying all night caused a feeling, so the studying is described with an -ing form.
The way I feel, the result of studying all night, is described with an -ed form.
The way I feel, the result of studying all night, is described with an -ed form.
Tip for Students:
Learning English requires so much late night study and homework that many English students learn to say, “I’m tired” very early in their language learning. Reminding students to use the same form as “tired” when they talk about other feelings can help them avoid mistakes with other words, like “interested” or “confused.”
That lesson on participles was interesting. I’m very interested in using them correctly.
I was confused about how to use these words, but these rules aren’t so confusing, after all.
Guideline:
2) The -ing form most often refers to things. The -ed form usually refers to the speaker or other people. (If the -ing form refers to a person, it’s usually a person other than the speaker.)
A thing as a cause… produces a feeling in a person as a result.
The movie was boring. I was bored at the movies.
The game was exciting. Joe was excited at the game.
The news was alarming. He was alarmed at the news.
The monster was frightening. She was frightened of the monster.
The comedian was amusing. The audience was amused.
Things are usually described with the -ing form because things don’t have feelings. People, on the other hand, can be described with either -ing or -ed forms because they can produce feelings in other people or experience feelings themselves.
My history teacher is so boring.
Dr. Emoto is very convincing.
If you think about it, you may realize that the speaker is not really talking about the person, but is talking about a thing the person does. For instance, is the teacher really boring, himself, or is it his lectures or his class that is boring? Is Emoto really convincing, himself, or is his argument or his evidence convincing?
Although things don’t have feelings, anything that people imagine having feelings, such as pets, will be talked about with the -ed form.
Our new puppy is very interested in chew toys.
Americans often talk about machines this way, too.
My old truck has been a good friend, but now it’s tired and needs a rest.
My computer is really slow right now. I think it’s confused.
Here is a long list of words that can be used be this way. Learning to use them correctly can quickly improve students’ ability to talk about feelings and their causes.
