Bored or Boring? The Feeling Twins
The -ing/-ed twins: -ing is the cause (a boring movie), -ed is your feeling (I was bored). Same root, opposite job.
The -ing / -ed Twins
One root, two jobs
Some adjectives come in twins: boring and bored, exciting and excited. The -ing twin describes the cause; the -ed twin describes your feeling.
-ing — the cause
the thing that makes you feelThe movie was boring
-ed — your feeling
what happens to youI was bored
Same root, two twins
exciting vs excitedThe match was exciting — I was excited
The pattern repeats
tiring, interesting, confusing…The trip was tiring
⚠️ -ing makes the feeling. -ed feels it.
The Formula
cause → -ing, feeler → -ed
Ask who does what: the thing causes → -ing. The person feels → -ed. Same root, opposite job.
The moviewas boringso I left
Iwas bored
The matchwas exciting
Iwas excitedabout the trip
Common Mistakes
Four twin mix-ups
The twins get swapped when the cause and the feeler switch seats. One more trap: emotions often travel with a preposition.
I am boring when I sit alone.
I am bored when I sit alone.
💡 -ed is your feeling. boring means you cause boredom in others.
The lesson was bored.
The lesson was boring.
💡 The thing causes the feeling → -ing.
The trip was tiring, so I was tiring.
The trip was tiring, so I was tired.
💡 The trip causes (tiring); you feel (tired).
She is interesting in science.
She is interested in science.
💡 Emotion + preposition: interested in, excited about.
Quick Quiz
Test what you just learned
Three minutes, five questions — check what stuck. No essay questions, we promise.
The book was so ___ I couldn't stop reading.
💡 Extra info2 sections
The Twin Pairs
Five roots, ten twins
The pattern repeats across the whole feeling family. Learn one pair, learn them all.
⚠️ -ing makes the feeling, -ed feels it. Same root, two twins.
Which Twin?
Two questions, no mix-ups
The twins separate in two questions: who causes, who feels, and does a preposition follow?