Bored or boring?

  • A2 · Elementary
  • Grammar lesson
  • 60 min
  • -ed and -ing adjectives

-ed adjectives for how we feel and -ing adjectives for what makes us feel that way: The tour was boring, and we were really bored. From two reviews of one museum tour to a great day and a terrible day in your life.

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boredboringinterestedinteresting

What's in the lesson

  1. 1Warm-up
  2. 2In this lesson
  3. 3Reading: two reviews of one tourReading comprehension
  4. 4What does it mean?Grammar exercise
  5. 5Find the adjectivesGrammar exercise
  6. 6bored or boring?Grammar rule
  7. 7-ed or -ing?Grammar exercise
  8. 8The escape roomGrammar exercise
  9. 9Find the mistakeGrammar exercise
  10. 10Questions for your teacherGrammar exercise
  11. 11Say it naturallySpeaking practice
  12. 12A great day and a terrible daySpeaking practice
  13. 13About youGrammar exercise
  14. 14Wrap-up

Homework

  1. 1Homework: my first yoga classGrammar exercise
  2. 2Homework: -ed or -ing?Grammar exercise
  3. 3Homework: find the mistakeGrammar exercise
  4. 4Homework: my reviewDiscussion

Two slides from the lesson

Warm-up

A few questions about you before we start.

  1. Did you visit a museum or go on a tour last year? Did you like it?
  2. What kind of movies do you love? What kind don't you like at all?
  3. Do you ever write reviews online? Why, or why not?

Grammar rule

bored or boring?

-ed: how a person feels-ing: what makes them feel that way
I'm bored.This game is boring.
The kids were frightened.The storm was frightening.
Is she interested in jazz?The radio show was interesting.

More pairs: excited / exciting · tired / tiring · surprised / surprising · confused / confusing · amazed / amazing · disappointed / disappointing · embarrassed / embarrassing · annoyed / annoying · relaxed / relaxing

  • Ask: who has the feeling? That person is -ed. The thing, place or person that gives the feeling is -ing.
  • Before a noun, too: a tiring day, an annoying song, a tired baby, amazed fans.
  • A person can be -ing too, when he or she makes people feel that way: My uncle is boring. = He makes people bored.
  • After the -ed word: interested in, excited about.
Watch out: I'm boring means "people feel bored with me"! Say I'm bored. And not I'm very interesting in art, but I'm very interested in art.

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