If you've visited my site lately, you would have seen a new section called "Make a Wish" (you can find this on the homepage). This allows you to make a wish on an English lesson you wish to see on The English Student in the future. I've already received some emails, and although I can't cover everything right away, I will choose some that I think a lot of other learners can benefit from.
A question that I'm answering today is from an English student who wanted to know the difference between the words "bored" and "boring." This is a very common problem and I will try to explain this grammar difference as simply as I can without boring you all!
To be bored is never fun but to be boring is never good! I would much rather be bored than be boring.
If you're bored, it describes how you feel. You feel unhappy or unsatisfied because there is nothing to do. Have you ever heard the saying, "Facebook is like a fridge. If you're bored, you keep opening it." If you feel bored, then you keep opening and checking Facebook. Quite true!
If you're boring, it describes what you're like as person. Someone who is not interesting to be with or talk to. I would never want anyone to say I'm a boring person! That would be a bad quality to have! As the actress Marilyn Monroe once said, "It's better to be absolutely ridiculous than to be absolutely boring." I agree with that!
A question that I'm answering today is from an English student who wanted to know the difference between the words "bored" and "boring." This is a very common problem and I will try to explain this grammar difference as simply as I can without boring you all!
To be bored is never fun but to be boring is never good! I would much rather be bored than be boring.
If you're bored, it describes how you feel. You feel unhappy or unsatisfied because there is nothing to do. Have you ever heard the saying, "Facebook is like a fridge. If you're bored, you keep opening it." If you feel bored, then you keep opening and checking Facebook. Quite true!
If you're boring, it describes what you're like as person. Someone who is not interesting to be with or talk to. I would never want anyone to say I'm a boring person! That would be a bad quality to have! As the actress Marilyn Monroe once said, "It's better to be absolutely ridiculous than to be absolutely boring." I agree with that!
In the picture above you can tell these friends are not having a great lunch together. The woman on the left is feeling bored. The woman on the right thinks her friend is a boring person (not interesting to be with). Can you distinguish the difference now?
The words "bored" and "boring" are known as participial adjectives.
Participial adjectives function just like any regular adjective, they modify nouns but they are formed from a verb. Adding -ed or - ing at the end of a verb creates a past or present participle adjective. Take a look at how some verbs become participial adjectives.
VERB - PAST PARTICIPLE ADJECTIVE - PRESENT PARTICIPLE ADJECTIVE
(1) BORE - BORED - BORING
(2) AMUSE - AMUSED - AMUSING
(3) RELAX - RELAXED - RELAXING
(4) INTEREST - INTERESTED - INTERESTING
The words "bored" and "boring" are known as participial adjectives.
Participial adjectives function just like any regular adjective, they modify nouns but they are formed from a verb. Adding -ed or - ing at the end of a verb creates a past or present participle adjective. Take a look at how some verbs become participial adjectives.
VERB - PAST PARTICIPLE ADJECTIVE - PRESENT PARTICIPLE ADJECTIVE
(1) BORE - BORED - BORING
(2) AMUSE - AMUSED - AMUSING
(3) RELAX - RELAXED - RELAXING
(4) INTEREST - INTERESTED - INTERESTING
There are so many wonderful resources on the web to learn more about participial adjectives. If you're still confused or want more examples, it may be a good idea to search around. Here is a great video from Sprotak Animations with some examples of present and past participles.
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