So this came up in a lesson today and I thought I would share it with you guys. Hopefully you’ll find this to be a helpful way to remember the difference between bored and boring, excited and exciting, etc. Here today I want to just show you a different way of looking at the topic.
- Words ending in ed represent feelings: bored, excited, interested, etc.
- Words ending in ing represent the reason or cause of those feelings: boring, exciting, interesting, etc.
Edward is a man’s name, and Ed is the nickname for Edward. Ed is a person. People have feelings, so Ed is a feeling. Words ending in ed are feelings.
Another way to practice this is to use both words in a sentence, using this pattern → [something] is ING, so I am ED
- The party is boring, so I am bored.
- The movie was interesting, so I am interested in it (remember, we say interested in something).
- The roller coaster is exciting, so I am excited to ride it.
Keep in mind the best way to remember this or any vocabulary in English is to take the word or phrase write it in a sentence that’s true for you or true in your world and then memorize your sentences.
You can even take your sentences and write them in the comments below. I would love to see your examples. And if you really want help with vocabulary, sign up for my free vocabulary workshop (see below).
If you know anyone who might be interested in this English language point, why not help them out! Just share this lesson with them. Thanks for studying today!

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