What Are Participial Adjectives? Types, Usage & Examples

Have you ever said you were bored, excited, or confused? Then congratulations — you’ve already used participial adjectives without even realizing it.

These handy little grammar tools are everywhere in English. We use them to describe emotions, reactions, and even the state of objects or people. Whether you’re talking about a thrilling movie, an exhausted teacher, or an annoying sound, participial adjectives help us paint a more vivid picture in our sentences.

But here’s the catch: a lot of English learners mix them up — especially when choosing between -ing and -ed forms. And that can make your sentences sound, well… a little off.

By the end of this guide, you’ll know exactly:

• What participial adjectives are.
• How to tell the difference between confusing and confused.
• When to use them — and when not to.
• And you’ll get tons of real-world examples to lock it all in.

Let’s get started.

What Are Participial Adjectives?

So what exactly is a participial adjective?

In simple terms:

A participial adjective is an adjective that comes from a verb and ends in either -ing or -ed (or another past participle form).

We call them participial because they come from participles — verb forms that either describe an action in progress (present participles like boring) or something that already happened (past participles like bored).

But when we use these participles to describe nouns, they start acting like adjectives.

Here’s what that looks like:

Let’s break one of those down:

• “The confusing instructions made the confused student even more frustrated.”

See what’s happening? Confusing describes the instructions (they caused the feeling), and confused describes how the student felt as a result.

That’s the core idea. You’re turning an action (confuse) into a description — either of what causes the feeling or who is feeling it.

We’ll dig into the two types next.

The Two Types of Participial Adjectives

There are two main kinds of participial adjectives: -ing and -ed. Understanding the difference between these two will help you speak and write much more clearly.

1. Present Participial Adjectives (-ing)

These end in -ing and usually describe what causes a feeling. They tell us that something (a movie, a book, a person) is doing the affecting — it’s making someone feel something.

Think: The thing is doing the action.

We use these when we’re talking about the source of the feeling or effect.

More Present Participial Adjectives:

• annoying
• confusing
• exciting
• embarrassing
• terrifying
• relaxing
• shocking
• fascinating
• overwhelming

Real-life examples:

• This is such a fascinating topic.
• Your story is amazing!
• What an annoying sound!

You’ll notice these are often used in everyday speech to show how something makes us feel — they’re super useful.

2. Past Participial Adjectives (-ed or Irregular Forms)

These usually end in -ed, but not always — some are irregular (like broken, lost, burnt). They describe how someone or something feels, or the state they’re in because of what happened to them.

Think: The thing has been affected.

More Past Participial Adjectives:

• amazed
• disappointed
• confused
• thrilled
• interested
• embarrassed
• satisfied
• shocked
• overwhelmed

Real-life examples:

• “I’m really confused about these directions.”
• “She looked surprised by the results.”
• “He’s interested in joining the team.”

Past participial adjectives are all about reaction or condition. If something has happened to someone or something — use the -ed (or past) form.

Participial Adjective Pairs That Learners Often Mix Up

One of the biggest struggles learners face is telling the difference between -ing and -ed participial adjectives that come from the same verb. It’s super common to hear someone say “I’m boring” when they meant “I’m bored.” (And let’s be real — there’s a big difference!)

Here’s how to clear up that confusion once and for all.

Think of it like this:

Let’s walk through some common pairs:

1. Boring vs. Bored

• The lecture was boring. → It caused the boredom.
• I was bored during the lecture. → I felt the boredom.

2. Confusing vs. Confused

• This math problem is confusing. → It’s hard to understand.
• I’m confused by this math problem. → I don’t understand it.

3. Exciting vs. Excited

• The news is exciting. → It makes people feel excited.
• I’m so excited about the trip. → I feel thrilled about it.

4. Annoying vs. Annoyed

• That buzzing noise is annoying. → The noise is the problem.
• I’m annoyed by that buzzing noise. → You feel the irritation.

5. Surprising vs. Surprised

• The results were surprising.
• He was surprised by the outcome.

6. Tiring vs. Tired

• Running a marathon is tiring.
• I feel tired after that run.

Pro Tip: If you’re talking about your own feelings, you’re almost always going to use the -ed form.

Meanwhile, if you’re talking about a thing or event that causes feelings in others, go for -ing.

Easy enough, right? Let’s take it a step further and look at how these adjectives work in actual sentences.

How to Use Participial Adjectives in Sentences

Participial adjectives don’t exist in isolation. They need to fit naturally into your sentence — and depending on how you use them, they might come before or after the noun.

Let’s break it down.

A. Before the Noun (Attributive Position)

This is your classic adjective position. The participial adjective goes before the noun it’s describing.

Examples:

• An amazing story
• A confused look
• A broken window
• A boring class

B. After the Verb (Predicative Position)

Participial adjectives can also appear after linking verbs like be, seem, look, feel, become, etc.

Examples:

• He looks tired.
• I feel annoyed.
• The movie was entertaining.
• They seem interested in the project.

This placement is especially common with -ed participial adjectives because it emphasizes the person’s or thing’s state or feeling.

C. As Part of a Phrase

Participial adjectives can also start a phrase, especially when giving extra info or description.

This usage adds more flavor to your writing — and sounds super natural.

Common Mistakes to Avoid with Participial Adjectives

Even advanced learners (and some native speakers!) slip up with participial adjectives. The tricky part is that both -ing and -ed forms sound similar and come from the same verb. But the meaning can change entirely depending on which one you choose.

Here are the most common mistakes people make — and how you can easily avoid them.

Mistake 1: Using -ing Instead of -ed to Describe Feelings

Why it’s wrong: Confusing describes something that causes confusion, not a person’s feeling. If you feel something, use the -ed form.

Mistake 2: Using -ed Instead of -ing to Describe the Cause

Why it’s wrong: A book doesn’t feel bored. It causes boredom. So, it should be “boring.”

Mistake 3: Saying “I’m boring” When You Mean “I’m bored”

Why it’s wrong (and kind of funny): Saying “I’m boring” means you make other people feel bored! Not exactly what most people want to say, unless you’re being sarcastic.

Mistake 4: Forgetting Irregular Past Participles

Some participial adjectives don’t just take a neat -ed ending. They’re irregular and come from irregular past participles.

For example:

• burn → burnt
• break → broken
• freeze → frozen
• tear → torn

Make sure you’re using the correct past participle form for irregular verbs.

Mistake 5: Using Them in the Wrong Spot in a Sentence

Adjectives usually go before the noun they modify (unless you’re using a participial phrase after the noun — we’ll touch on that later).

Quick Fix Tip:

If you’re ever in doubt, try turning the sentence into a cause-and-effect test:

• “Does it cause a feeling?” → Use -ing
• “Does it feel something?” → Use -ed

Simple and effective.

Quick Test: Are You Ready to Choose the Right Form?

Let’s see how well this is clicking. Try filling in the blanks with the correct participial adjective: -ing or -ed.

1. I was so __________ by the ending of the movie. (shock)
2. That was a really __________ lecture. (bore)
3. She seemed __________ by the instructions. (confuse)
4. The book I’m reading is absolutely __________. (fascinate)
5. We were __________ by his behavior. (annoy)

Answers:

1. shocked
2. boring
3. confused
4. fascinating
5. annoyed

Nailed it? Great! You’re getting the hang of it.

Helpful Tips to Master Participial Adjectives

Now that you’ve seen how participial adjectives work, let’s make it even easier to remember them — especially in the moment when you’re speaking or writing.

Here are a few simple tricks and reminders that really help:

The Cause vs. Feeling Rule (Revisited)

This one’s worth repeating because it’s that useful.

• -ing = the cause
  • The event, thing, or situation that makes people feel something.
• -ed = the result
  • The person or thing that feels the emotion.

Memory Hack: Think of a Movie Poster

Imagine you’re looking at a movie poster:

• The poster says: “A thrilling new adventure!” — That’s -ing, describing the movie.
• After watching it, your friend says: “I’m thrilled!” — That’s -ed, describing the person.

This visual can help reinforce which form goes with which situation.

Build a Mini List of Common Pairs

Keep a cheat sheet of the most frequently used participial adjectives, especially the ones that trip you up. Focus on mastering the pairs that are used in daily conversation:

• boring / bored
• interesting / interested
• tiring / tired
• confusing / confused
• frustrating / frustrated
• amazing / amazed
• surprising / surprised

Flashcards, sticky notes, or even a note on your phone can make a big difference.

Practice Out Loud

Use them in mini-dialogues or self-talk.

It may feel silly, but hearing the forms in your own voice builds fluency fast.

Check Context When You’re Unsure

Ask yourself:

• Who or what is doing the action?
• Who or what is feeling something?
• Am I describing an effect or a cause?

This will guide you to the correct form almost every time.

Final Thoughts: Why Participial Adjectives Matter

Participial adjectives might seem like small details in a sentence, but they make a huge difference in clarity, tone, and how natural you sound in English.

Using the right form helps you:

• Sound more fluent and confident
• Avoid awkward or confusing mistakes
• Express emotions and reactions more clearly
• Write and speak in a way that feels natural to native speakers

Think about the difference between saying:

That one tiny word change completely shifts the meaning. And once you get the hang of it, you’ll start noticing participial adjectives everywhere — in conversations, books, movies, and your own speech.

Your Turn to Practice

Try writing a few of your own sentences using -ing and -ed adjectives. Start with these verbs:

• interest
• exhaust
• embarrass
• thrill
• disappoint