Grammar Adjectives A2–B2 5 min read Updated 13 June 2026

Quick answer: Interested describes how a person feels (curiosity, attention): “I am interested in learning Japanese.” Interesting describes the quality of a thing that arouses curiosity: “The lecture was very interesting.” Remember: -ed = your feelings; -ing = what causes the feeling.

Comparison Table

WordTypeMeaningExample
interestedadjective (-ed)feeling curiosity or attention towards somethingI am very interested in this topic.
interestingadjective (-ing)arousing curiosity or attention in othersThe documentary was really interesting.

The -ed/-ing Adjective Rule

-ed adjectives (past participle adjectives) describe how a person feels. The person is the subject having the emotion. -ing adjectives (present participle adjectives) describe the quality of the thing that causes those feelings. This pattern applies to many pairs: bored/boring, excited/exciting, tired/tiring, frightened/frightening, confused/confusing, amazed/amazing, surprised/surprising.

Using Interested

Interested describes the person’s state of mind — they are experiencing curiosity or attention towards something. It is often followed by in + noun or gerund.

I am interested in learning Japanese.

Are you interested in the job offer?

She is not interested in football.

He seemed genuinely interested in what I was saying.

Using Interesting

Interesting describes the quality of the subject — it arouses curiosity or holds the attention of others. The thing (book, film, lecture, idea) is described as interesting.

The lecture was very interesting.

What an interesting idea!

I found the book surprisingly interesting.

That’s an interesting question.

More Examples — The Full Pattern

I was bored during the meeting. / The meeting was boring.

She is interested in art. / The art exhibition was interesting.

The children were excited. / The game was exciting.

He was tired after the race. / The race was tiring.

We were confused by the instructions. / The instructions were confusing.

I was amazed by her performance. / Her performance was amazing.

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1 — Using -ing for the person’s feeling

✗ I am very interesting in history.
✓ I am very interested in history.

Mistake 2 — Using -ed for the thing

✗ The film was interested.
✓ The film was interesting.

Mistake 3 — -ed adjective for a noun

✗ She told us an interested story.
✓ She told us an interesting story.

Quick Quiz

Q1: “The documentary was really __.”

interesting — the documentary (a thing) has the quality of arousing curiosity.

Q2: “I am very __ in learning to cook.”

interested — I (a person) am experiencing curiosity and attention towards cooking.

Q3: “He seemed __ in our project.”

interested — he (a person) was feeling curiosity towards the project.

Practice More

Related Confusing Words

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between interested and interesting?
Interested is a -ed adjective describing how a person feels: “I am interested in science.” Interesting is a -ing adjective describing the quality of something that arouses curiosity: “Science is interesting.” The key rule: -ed = feelings; -ing = the cause of those feelings.
Why do we say “I am interested” not “I am interesting”?
Because “interested” describes your internal state (how you feel). “Interesting” describes what you do to other people — if you say “I am interesting,” you are claiming that you arouse curiosity in others, which is a very different statement! “I am interested in X” = X excites my curiosity. “I am an interesting person” = I excite other people’s curiosity.
What is a participial adjective?
Participial adjectives are adjectives formed from verb participles. -ed adjectives come from past participles: “I am interested” (past participle of “to interest”). -ing adjectives come from present participles: “The lecture is interesting” (present participle of “to interest”). Both describe states, but -ed describes the experiencer’s state and -ing describes the cause.
What other -ed/-ing pairs follow the same rule?
Many pairs follow this rule: bored/boring, excited/exciting, tired/tiring, frightened/frightening, confused/confusing, amazed/amazing, surprised/surprising, disappointed/disappointing, exhausted/exhausting, fascinated/fascinating, motivated/motivating. Once you learn the rule, it applies to all of them.
Can a person be described as “interesting”?
Yes! You can say “She is an interesting person” — meaning she arouses curiosity in others. This is correct. But you cannot say “I am interesting in history” — here, the -ed form is needed: “I am interested in history.” The difference: “an interesting person” (quality of the person) vs “an interested person” (someone who feels interest).
How do I remember which form to use?
Ask yourself: who is experiencing the feeling? If it is the person/subject (they are having the emotion), use -ed. If the thing/subject is causing the feeling in others, use -ing. Quick test: “I am [emotion]-ed.” “The film is [causing emotion]-ing.”
Is “interested in” always followed by a noun or gerund?
Yes, “interested in” is always followed by a noun or gerund (-ing form): “interested in music,” “interested in learning,” “interested in what you said.” You cannot say “interested to learn” in this construction — though “interested to hear” is an exception in informal British English meaning curious to find out.
What is the noun form of interesting/interested?
The noun is interest: “She has a strong interest in science.” / “The lecture attracted a lot of interest.” Both the -ed and -ing adjective forms derive from the verb “to interest” and the noun “interest.” The verb: “The topic interests me” = “I am interested in the topic” = “The topic is interesting.”
Do native speakers ever confuse interested and interesting?
Yes, especially non-native speakers whose first language uses different forms. For example, Spanish, French, and Italian learners sometimes say “I am very interesting in...” when they mean “interested.” This is one of the most common adjective errors in ESL learner writing.
Can “interesting” be used sarcastically?
Yes. “Interesting...” said with a particular tone can mean “I don’t believe you,” “that’s strange,” or “I’m not sure about that.” This is a very common ironic use in British English especially. Context and tone of voice make the meaning clear. In writing, it sometimes appears as “interesting choice...” to imply polite disagreement.