Adjectives: -ed / -ing and Gradable / Extreme Adjectives

• Use -ed adjectives to describe how someone feels, and -ing adjectives to describe the thing causing the feeling. Gradable adjectives can be modified with 'very', while extreme adjectives already mean 'very + adjective' and use 'absolutely'.
• Gradable Adjective
• Extreme Adjective
• Example with Extreme
• good
• brilliant / stunning
• The app design in Boston is absolutely brilliant.
• bad
• terrible / appalling
• The new layout in Austin is absolutely terrible.
• tired
• exhausted
• I am completely exhausted by the user testing.
• surprised
• astounded
• The client in Chicago was totally astounded.
• Remember
• Use -ed endings for personal feelings: I am bored by this bland concept.
• Use -ing endings for things or situations: The visual direction is boring.
• Never use 'very' with extreme adjectives; use 'absolutely' or 'completely' instead.
• Gradable adjectives take 'very', 'a bit', or 'really'.
• Examples
• The Seattle team was amazed by the striking UI.
• This outdated landing page is quite boring.
• We were absolutely thrilled with the new logo in Denver.
• Common mistakes
• The interface is very brilliant.
• The interface is absolutely brilliant.
• I am boring during long meetings.
• I am bored during long meetings.

Complete the sentences

• The designer in Seattle felt very (tire) ____ after the long sprint.
• That mobile app concept looks (absolute) ____ brilliant.
• We were (thrill) ____ to see the final prototype in New York.
• The latest banking dashboard in Chicago is quite (impress) ____ .
• Are you (exhaust) ____ by all the user interviews?
• The color palette for the London fintech client is (total) ____ striking.

Sources: photo by Edalisu . on Pexels