-ED -ING adjectives

Adjectives that end ‘-ed’ (e.g. ‘bored’, ‘interested’) and adjectives that end ‘-ing’ (e.g. ‘boring’, ‘interesting’) are often confused.

-ed adjectives

Adjectives that end ‘-ed’ describe emotions – they tell us how people feel about something.

• I was very bored in the maths lesson. I almost fell asleep.
• He was surprised to see Helen. She’d told him she was going to Australia.
• Feeling tired and depressed, he went to bed.

-ing adjectives

Adjectives that end ‘-ing’ describe the thing that causes the emotion – a boring lesson makes you feel bored.

• Have you seen that film? It’s absolutely terrifying.
• I could listen to him for hours. He’s one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met.
• I can’t eat this! It’s disgusting! What is it?

Remember that people can be boring but only if they make other people feel bored.

• He talks about the weather for hours. He’s so boring.
• NOT I was very boring at the party so I went home.

Some practice:
Exercise 1
Exercise 2 (go down)
Exercise 3

listening

listening
I'm checking checking, Can you hear the listening in the link above???
Tell me next week
Enjoy your weekend

ABILITY

Modal Verbs of Ability

When we talk about ability, we mean two things.

First, we mean general ability. This is something that once you have learned you can do any time you want, like being able to read or swim or speak a language, for example.

The other kind of ability is specific ability. This mean something that you can or can't do in one particular situation. For example, being able to lift something heavy, or find somewhere you are looking for.

Present:

can / can't (for both general and specific ability)

• I can play the piano.
• She can speak English.
• He can't drive – he's too tired.
• We can't come now.

Past:

could / couldn't (for general ability)

• I could read when I was four.
• She could speak French when she was a child, but now she has forgotten it.
• He couldn't dance at all until he took lessons.
• My grandfather couldn't swim.

was able to / couldn't (for specific ability)

• When the computer crashed yesterday, I was able to fix it.(not 'I could fix it')
• She was able to pass the exam, even though she hadn't studied much.(not 'she could pass')
• He called us because he couldn't find the house.
• I couldn't open the window.

Here you have AN ACTIVITY to practise your modal verbs.

The power of talent