'Exhausted' describes how YOU feel (worn out); 'exhausting' describes what causes that tiredness.
"Exhausted" (the -ed ending) describes a person who is completely tired, out of energy. It's stronger than "tired".
I'm completely exhausted after that flight, I just want to sleep.
The runners were exhausted by the time they crossed the finish line.
She felt exhausted after studying all night for the exam.
"Exhausting" (the -ing ending) describes something that drains people's energy: an exhausting job, day, or trip.
Taking care of three kids alone is exhausting.
It was an exhausting week at work, with meetings back to back every day.
The hike up the mountain was beautiful but exhausting.
Common mistake
"I am exhausting" said by a tired person sounds like they're the one draining everyone else's energy, the opposite of what they mean. The correct phrase is "I am exhausted" if you're the one who's tired.
Trick to remember it
Same pattern as excited/exciting: the person who feels tired uses "-ED" (exhaustED), and the thing causing the tiredness uses "-ING" (exhaustING).
Quick rule
Describing how a person feels (tired)? "-ED" (exhausted). Describing what causes that tiredness? "-ING" (exhausting).
Did you know?
"Exhaust" comes from Latin "exhaurire" (to drain completely, to draw out all the liquid), the same root that gives us "exhaust pipe" (a car's exhaust, literally "where all the smoke comes out"). When you say you're "exhausted", you're using the same metaphor: you've been drained of all your energy, like an engine that expelled everything it had inside.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
After the double shift at the hospital, the nurse was completely _____.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
Training for a marathon is _____, but it's worth it in the end.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
One describes how you feel, the other describes what causes that feeling.
'Excited' describes how YOU feel; 'exciting' describes what the thing itself is like, the cause of that feeling.
"Interested" describes the subject who feels the interest; "interesting" describes the object that causes it.
'A' is used before consonant sounds; 'an' is used before vowel sounds.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy