Suffix · forms adjectives
Uses the past participle as an adjective to describe how a person feels: I am bored, she is excited.
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
In English, regular past participles (verbs + -ed) are very frequently used as adjectives. From "bore" (to bore someone) comes "bored" (feeling bored); from "excite" comes "excited"; from "tire" comes "tired". This pattern is essential because it describes how a PERSON FEELS. It is different from the -ing adjective, which describes what CAUSES that feeling (see the -ing suffix).
The most common mistake Spanish speakers make is mixing -ed and -ing feeling adjectives: "I am bored" = I feel bored (describes MY feeling). "The class is boring" = The class causes boredom (describes what CAUSES the feeling). "I am excited" = I feel excited. "The news is exciting" = The news causes excitement. Rule: if you describe how a PERSON feels, use -ed. If you describe what CAUSES that feeling in a thing, use -ing.
-ed is pronounced three ways depending on the final consonant of the verb: /d/ after vowels and voiced consonants: bored /bɔːrd/, tired /taɪərd/, amazed /əˈmeɪzd/. /t/ after voiceless consonants (p, k, f, s, ch, sh): surprised /sərˈpraɪzt/. /ɪd/ after t or d: excited /ɪkˈsaɪtɪd/, interested /ˈɪntrəstɪd/.
Verb infinitive + ed = past participle = feeling adjective.
Many -ed adjectives come from verbs with Old English or Latin roots. In modern usage they function as pure adjectives and the base verb is no longer considered: "tired" and "bored" are everyday adjectives.
-ed (adjective)/d/, /t/ or /ɪd/ · depends on the final consonant
Tap the button to hear how the ending sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
To describe how you feel, use -ed: "I am bored". "I am boring" means you yourself are a boring person.
"interested" (adjective) needs the -ed. "interest" without -ed is the noun or verb.
The adjective form always needs the full -ed: confused, not "confuse".
A trick to remember it
Golden rule: if you describe how a PERSON feels, use -ed (I am excited, she is tired). If you describe what CAUSES that feeling, use -ing (the movie is exciting, the work is tiring).
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
Which is correct?
Exercise 3 · Pick the right one
"I am confused" means...
The suffix -ed (adjective) uses the past participle as an adjective to describe how a person feels: I am bored, she is excited. In Spanish it usually maps to -ado / -ido.
The ending -ed (adjective) is pronounced /d/, /t/ or /ɪd/ · depends on the final consonant. For example, "bored".
"bore" becomes "bored". It is a typical example of the -ed (adjective) suffix.
-tion, -ness, -ful, -ly, -able... every ending you need to understand thousands of words at once.