ed or -ing - ESL worksheet by Tmk939 - Free Printable

Let's solve this grammar exercise step by step. The task is to fill in the blanks with adjectives ending in -ed or -ing, using the words from the list on the right.

Key Rule:

- -ed adjectives describe how a person feels (emotion or reaction).
- -ing adjectives describe the thing that causes the feeling (something that happens).

For example:
- The movie was boring (it caused boredom).
- I was bored (I felt bored because of the movie).

We’ll go through each sentence and choose the correct form based on the subject and meaning.

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Answers:

1. It is the most amazing thing I've ever seen.
→ "thing" is the cause → -ing

2. Bill was interested in constructing the new model.
→ Bill (person) feels interest → -ed

3. I'm confused and I don't know what to do.
→ I feel confused → -ed

4. The film was boring and I switched off the TV set.
→ Film caused boredom → -ing

5. The results of the test were disappointing.
→ Results caused disappointment → -ing

6. Tom was disappointed with the results of the test.
→ Tom felt disappointed → -ed

7. The atmosphere was frightening.
→ Atmosphere caused fear → -ing

8. Pam was frightened to death when she saw a huge dog.
→ Pam felt fear → -ed

9. I was amazed to see her at the concert.
→ I felt amazement → -ed

10. Liz has achieved amazing results in studies.
→ Results are impressive → -ing

11. Nick finds his dog rather annoying.
→ Dog causes annoyance → -ing

12. Mona was amused by the boy's behavior.
→ Mona felt amusement → -ed

13. I was very tired when I worked in the garden.
→ I felt tired → -ed

14. To cut paper animals is very interesting.
→ Activity causes interest → -ing

15. Tom was shocked to see a bad mark in his test.
→ Tom felt shock → -ed

16. It was annoying to lose the way in the city.
→ Losing the way caused annoyance → -ing

17. It was surprising that they didn't come to the party.
→ Situation caused surprise → -ing

18. Sam was surprised when he saw them leaving.
→ Sam felt surprise → -ed

19. I was shocked when I was told that information.
→ I felt shock → -ed

20. This situation was really frustrating.
→ Situation caused frustration → -ing

21. Well, you are confusing me.
→ You are causing confusion → -ing

22. Nick was embarrassed and phoned his parents.
→ Nick felt embarrassment → -ed

23. This music is really exciting.
→ Music causes excitement → -ing

24. He was excited by his forthcoming flight.
→ He felt excitement → -ed

25. Paul seemed worried about his future exam.
→ Paul felt worry → -ed
*(Note: "worry" is not in the list, but "concerned" isn't either. But "worried" fits best. However, since only the given words can be used, we must check if "depressed" or "puzzled" could fit — no. Wait, the word is missing. Let’s recheck.)*

Wait! Looking at the list:
The base words are: interest, bore, disappoint, frighten, amaze, amuse, tire, annoy, surprise, shock, confuse, excite, depress, inspire, embarrass, insult, terrify, frustrate, puzzle, exhaust

So for #25: “Paul seemed ________ about his future exam.”
→ Paul feels something → needs -ed form.
Best match: worried? Not in list.
But anxious? Not in list.
Wait — maybe concerned? No.
But nervous? Not in list.

Wait — perhaps it's excited? But that doesn’t make sense with "seemed" and "future exam" — unless positive.

But depressed? Doesn’t fit.

Wait — let’s look again. The word "confuse" is listed. So confused?

But Paul seems confused about his exam? That could work.

But more likely: worried — but not in list.

Wait — "inspired"? Maybe not.

Wait — perhaps "puzzled"? Yes! "Puzzle" is in the list.

So: Paul seemed puzzled about his future exam.
Yes — that makes sense. He’s confused.

But "puzzled" is -ed, which matches.

So: puzzled → from puzzle

But wait — puzzle is in the list (#38). So puzzled is acceptable.

So: puzzled

25. Paul seemed puzzled about his future exam.
→ He felt puzzled → -ed

26. This story was depressing.
→ Story caused depression → -ing

27. Kate is an inspiring leader in my class.
→ Leader inspires others → -ing

28. Ben was inspired by Longfellow's poems.
→ Ben felt inspiration → -ed

29. Tim was embarrassed by spilling coffee on the table.
→ Tim felt embarrassment → -ed

30. I'd like to avoid any embarrassing questions at all.
→ Questions would cause embarrassment → -ing

31. Your proposal is insulting.
→ Proposal causes insult → -ing

32. Paul was insulted by Tom's remarks.
→ Paul felt insulted → -ed

33. We were terrified that the plane would fall down.
→ We felt terror → -ed

34. We heard terrifying sounds at night.
→ Sounds caused fear → -ing

35. Your plan about this house is frustrating.
→ Plan causes frustration → -ing

36. Helen gets frustrated when she loses the game.
→ Helen feels frustration → -ed

37. Andrew was puzzled by my decision.
→ Andrew felt confusion → -ed

38. He demonstrated a puzzling lack of curiosity.
→ Lack of curiosity is confusing → -ing

39. I don't like exhausting sports.
→ Sports cause exhaustion → -ing

40. Simon felt exhausted at the end of the test.
→ Simon felt tired → -ed

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Final Answer List:

| # | Sentence | Answer |
|---|--------|--------|
| 1 | It is the most _______ thing I've ever seen. | amazing |
| 2 | Bill was _______ in constructing the new model. | interested |
| 3 | I'm _______ and I don't know what to do. | confused |
| 4 | The film was _______ and I switched off the TV set. | boring |
| 5 | The results of the test were _______. | disappointinging |
| 6 | Tom was _______ with the results of the test. | disappointed |
| 7 | The atmosphere was _______. | frightening |
| 8 | Pam was _______ to death when she saw a huge dog. | frightened |
| 9 | I was _______ to see her at the concert. | amazed |
| 10 | Liz has achieved _______ results in studies. | amazing |
| 11 | Nick finds his dog rather _______. | annoying |
| 12 | Mona was _______ by the boy's behavior. | amused |
| 13 | I was very _______ when I worked in the garden. | tired |
| 14 | To cut paper animals is very _______. | interesting |
| 15 | Tom was _______ to see a bad mark in his test. | shocked |
| 16 | It was _______ to lose the way in the city. | annoying |
| 17 | It was _______ that they didn't come to the party. | surprising |
| 18 | Sam was _______ when he saw them leaving. | surprised |
| 19 | I was _______ when I was told that information. | shocked |
| 20 | This situation was really _______. | frustrating |
| 21 | Well, you are _______ me. | confusing |
| 22 | Nick was _______ and phoned his parents. | embarrassed |
| 23 | This music is really _______. | exciting |
| 24 | He was _______ by his forthcoming flight. | excited |
| 25 | Paul seemed _______ about his future exam. | puzzled |
| 26 | This story was _______. | depressing |
| 27 | Kate is an _______ leader in my class. | inspiring |
| 28 | Ben was _______ by Longfellow's poems. | inspired |
| 29 | Tim was _______ by spilling coffee on the table. | embarrassed |
| 30 | I'd like to avoid any _______ questions at all. | embarrassing |
| 31 | Your proposal is _______. | insulting |
| 32 | Paul was _______ by Tom's remarks. | insulted |
| 33 | We were _______ that the plane would fall down. | terrified |
| 34 | We heard _______ sounds at night. | terrifying |
| 35 | Your plan about this house is _______. | frustrating |
| 36 | Helen gets _______ when she loses the game. | frustrated |
| 37 | Andrew was _______ by my decision. | puzzled |
| 38 | He demonstrated a _______ lack of curiosity. | puzzling |
| 39 | I don't like _______ sports. | exhausting |
| 40 | Simon felt _______ at the end of the test. | exhausted |

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Summary of Rules Used:

- Use -ed when describing a person's emotion.
- Use -ing when describing something that causes emotion.

This helps distinguish between the feeling and the cause.

✔ All answers use only the provided base words (from the list), forming correct -ed or -ing adjectives.

Let me know if you want this printed out or formatted as a worksheet!