ed and ing adjectives – Interested and Interesting

Some English adjectives have two forms, so they can end with ed and ing. The endings determine their meaning. For example, we use interested to say how we feel and interesting to describe the person or thing that causes the feeling.
Watch this video to learn about ing and ed adjectives and avoid a very common mistake.

ed and ing adjectives video script

Click here to see more grammar videos

This is a very interesting book.
Uhuh.
And I’m very interesting in this book.
What?
This is a book about me!

There’s a mistake my students sometimes make that can be funny, or kind of embarrassing. So I’ve asked along an embarrassing version of myself to demonstrate.

I’m very interesting. Ooooo. Did I say that? How embarrassing!

What I could say is ‘I’m very interested’. ‘Interesting’ and ‘interested’ are both adjectives, so what’s the difference?

This baseball game is really interesting.

We use ‘interested’ to say how we feel. We use ‘interesting’ to describe the person or thing that causes the feeling. So an interesting speaker, an interesting creature, an interesting book.
Notice that ‘interesting’ doesn’t mean important or big. It can in some languages, but not English. Very interesting. We can be interested in a business proposition.

This is our first new product. What do you think?
No, sorry. Not interested.
OK, we also have this.
No, not interested.
How about this?
No, he’s definitely not interested.
Do you have any balls?
What?

I’ll offer you two a business proposition.
We’re not interested.
Well, you’ll be interested. Now, you’re a smart young man.
Don’t listen to him, Bruce.

Now something else. There are other adjectives that follow a similar pattern. Let’s look at one.

I’m very interesting. Ooooo. Did I say that? How embarrassing!

The mistake was embarrassing, so it made me feel embarrassed. Embarrassing’ describes the mistake. ‘Embarrassed’ describes how I felt. Let’s look at some more adjectives that follow the same pattern. See if you can spot them.

Will you stop doing that?
Doing what?
That. It’s very annoying.

Sorry I’m late. Let’s get started. Is Jay sleeping?
Sorry, Rachel, he had a very tiring morning.
I’m not tired. I was just thinking.
He thinks with his eyes shut.

Emily, do you know how to drive?
No, ma’am. Isn’t it exciting!

OK, Jay. Pick a card. Remember it. Right, Jase. Shuffle the cards. OK.
Jay, your card is the top card.
What? No way! That’s amazing!
Really?
Yeah.
How did you do that? I’m amazed.
Here they are again.

Will you stop doing that? Doing what? That. It’s very annoying.
He had a very tiring morning. I’m not tired. I was just thinking.
Isn’t it exciting! Jay, your card is the top card. What? No way! That’s amazing!
Really? Yeah. How did you do that? I’m amazed.

Click here to see more grammar videos