Participial Adjectives

Most present and past participle forms of verbs that describe emotion or feelings can be used as adjectives, but the meanings of the participles are not the same. For example:

A fresh ocean breeze on a hot summer day is refreshing, so I feel refreshed.

The present participle (-ing form of the verb) refers to something or somebody that causes the feeling:

The breeze is refreshing. (The breeze causes this feeling.)

The past participle (-ed form of the verb) is used to express how a person is affected by something.

I feel refreshed. (I am experiencing this feeling as a result of the breeze.)

Note that you cannot use the past participle/–ed form with things because things do not have emotions.

The following are some of the most common verbs expressing feelings and emotions and their present and past particpial forms.

Verb Present Participle (-ing) Past Participle (-ed) astonish astonishing astonished bore boring bored challenge challenging challenged comfort comforting comforted compel compelling compelled depress depressing depressed devastate devastating devastated disappoint disappointing disappointed excite exciting excited inspire inspiring inspired

Verb Present Participle (-ing) Past Participle (-ed) intimidate intimidating intimidated interest interesting interested mystify mystifying mystified puzzle puzzling puzzled satisfy satisfying satisfied shock shocking shocked surprise surprising surprised tempt tempting tempted threaten threatening threatened tire tiring tired

Here are some other common verbs which follow the same pattern to express feelings and emotions:

amaze, amuse, annoy, calm, confuse, disgust , distract, disturb, embarrass, encourage, entertain, fascinate, frighten , frustrate, infuriate, insult , please, refresh, relax, sicken, stimulate, surprise, terrify , thrill, worry