Synonym: absorbing, appealing, attractive, captivating, engrossing, entertaining, enthralling, fascinating, intriguing, inviting, provocative, thought-provoking. Antonym: uninteresting. Similar words: interest, interested, lose interest, testing, interfere, interfere in, at intervals, interfere with. Meaning: [‘ɪntərestɪŋ /’ɪntrɪst-] adj. arousing or holding the attention.
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1. Experience is not interesting till it begins to repeat itself, in fact, till it does that,it hardly is experience.
2. It is interesting to compare their situation and ours.
3. Please tell me about some interesting.
4. That was interesting, wasn’t it?
5. Your interesting report raises several important queries.
6. The museum has some interesting new exhibits from India.
7. Professor Wilson gave an interesting talk on birds.
8. Brewer is a very interesting man.
9. The story is very interesting to me.
10. How can we make science lessons more interesting?
11. My father is a repository of interesting facts.
12. parts of the book are interesting.
13. There are many interesting things there.
14. Did she tell you anything interesting?
14. Wish you can benefit from our online sentence dictionary and make progress every day!
15. Here’s an interesting piece of gossip about Mrs Smith.
16. His trip through the world made an interesting narrative.
17. It is interesting to contrast the two writers.
18. The speech contained some interesting ideas.
19. Comparison with other oil-producing countries is extremely interesting.
20. He was reading an interesting story.
21. The TV show was interesting.
22. It was interesting to be in a different environment.
23. I find her ideas really interesting.
24. There was an interesting item in the newspaper today.
25. The marginal illustration is very interesting.
26. I found the conclusion of his book very interesting.
27. That’s a very interesting point.
28. She made several interesting points in the article.
29. Did you go anywhere interesting?
30. Her articles make/are interesting reading for travellers.
More similar words: interest, interested, lose interest, testing, interfere, interfere in, at intervals, interfere with, burst into laughter, for the rest, clandestine, burst into, Palestinian, existing, interim, painter, Internet, internal, interval, interact, interior, in terms of, intercede, interpret, interview, interrupt, interplay, enter into, distinguish, interaction.
Examples of how to use the word “interesting” in a sentence. How to connect “interesting” with other words to make correct English sentences.
interesting (adj): Someone or something that is interesting keeps your attention because he, she, or it is unusual, exciting, or has a lot of ideas
Use “interesting” in a sentence
Please continue with your story. It’s really interesting. |
Learning a foreign language is interesting. |
What an interesting book! |
That’s an interesting suggestion. |
Please continue with your story. It’s really interesting. |
It seems very interesting. |
Please continue with your story. It’s really interesting. |
Is there anything interesting on television tonight?
Back to “3000 Most Common Words in English” |
- Use the word Interesting in a sentences
Sentence Examples
I read a very interesting article recently on new discoveries in neuroplasticity at UCLA. Did…?
And that’s what’s interesting in photography, it’s the accidents.
At that time, I was interested in capturing an event because I didn’t know any better and that was the language of the period… something happened in space and time, you try to be there and make an interesting shape, any picture about it.
Not highlighting anything that is particularly… sociologically interesting or anything,
Well, isn’t this interesting how we run into each other twice in one day.
I had a very interesting discussion with a Mr Charles Keach.
You actually think that’s interesting, don’t you?
Casey is interesting Because I was the only one that picked casey.
Christina: Xenia… You have a really interesting,
Which is neither country nor soul. Christina: interesting for me to have the both of them on my team
This is all very interesting, but the general said that it is because our women aren’t circumcised that God has brought this wrath upon us!
They are so fucking weird and interesting!
interesting fact — his teeth didn’t fall out, they were pulled out.
That’s an interesting name.
But isn’t it interesting, Mr Powers… that you would rather kill me… than save your precious Felicity?
Although it’s interesting that Ronny came out so much earlier.
interesting yardstick you’re using.
So, I decided to «Gooble» it, and I got some very interesting hits.
Now, here’s what’s interesting.
There is an interesting piece of news
Very, very interesting, really!
It is interesting because it’s one of the first comedies dedicated to daily life in the USSR
In the paper, an interesting announcement.
They’ll buy any good film so photograph anyting that’s interesting.
This Chinese celebration may be interesting.
Can you do something interesting?
Where T’s research becomes extremely interesting
Something interesting might happen on the way.
It’s interesting when they come to the waterhole.
Then John found the third painting. — Very interesting.
I have this offer, it’s interesting.
Have you seen anyone interesting?
Oh, that’s not interesting.
Dumb would be interesting, but a famous writer with a speech impediment is ridiculous.
And what’s most interesting… he doesn’t dare to tell her.
This is getting interesting:
But it’s very interesting.
A most interesting experiment of yours with the cattle disease.
The entire image was captured live in the camera in a single take, through an interesting process. I’ll explain a bit further on.
An interesting bit of scripted action was cut here, though possibly shot.
A metropolis, an interesting problem.
But I’m busy with a most interesting job here which you too…
that’s the servants’ quarters leave it on. it’s quite interesting and when he thinks, now is the right time, what does the little person say?
I got all my knowledge out of the royal encyclopedia. A special edition arranged for Flausenthurm… — with all the interesting things left out.
By that time, to hide its real identity, it was enameled over to look like nothing more than a fairly interesting statuette.
I read a very interesting article recently on new discoveries in neuroplasticity at UCLA. Did…?
And that’s what’s interesting in photography, it’s the accidents.
At that time, I was interested in capturing an event because I didn’t know any better and that was the language of the period… something happened in space and time, you try to be there and make an interesting shape, any picture about it.
Not highlighting anything that is particularly… sociologically interesting or anything,
Well, isn’t this interesting how we run into each other twice in one day.
I had a very interesting discussion with a Mr Charles Keach.
You actually think that’s interesting, don’t you?
Casey is interesting Because I was the only one that picked casey.
Christina: Xenia… You have a really interesting,
Which is neither country nor soul. Christina: interesting for me to have the both of them on my team
This is all very interesting, but the general said that it is because our women aren’t circumcised that God has brought this wrath upon us!
They are so fucking weird and interesting!
interesting fact — his teeth didn’t fall out, they were pulled out.
That’s an interesting name.
But isn’t it interesting, Mr Powers… that you would rather kill me… than save your precious Felicity?
Although it’s interesting that Ronny came out so much earlier.
interesting yardstick you’re using.
So, I decided to «Gooble» it, and I got some very interesting hits.
Now, here’s what’s interesting.
There is an interesting piece of news
Very, very interesting, really!
It is interesting because it’s one of the first comedies dedicated to daily life in the USSR
In the paper, an interesting announcement.
They’ll buy any good film so photograph anyting that’s interesting.
This Chinese celebration may be interesting.
Can you do something interesting?
Where T’s research becomes extremely interesting
Something interesting might happen on the way.
It’s interesting when they come to the waterhole.
Then John found the third painting. — Very interesting.
I have this offer, it’s interesting.
Have you seen anyone interesting?
Oh, that’s not interesting.
Dumb would be interesting, but a famous writer with a speech impediment is ridiculous.
And what’s most interesting… he doesn’t dare to tell her.
This is getting interesting:
But it’s very interesting.
A most interesting experiment of yours with the cattle disease.
The entire image was captured live in the camera in a single take, through an interesting process. I’ll explain a bit further on.
An interesting bit of scripted action was cut here, though possibly shot.
A metropolis, an interesting problem.
But I’m busy with a most interesting job here which you too…
that’s the servants’ quarters leave it on. it’s quite interesting and when he thinks, now is the right time, what does the little person say?
I got all my knowledge out of the royal encyclopedia. A special edition arranged for Flausenthurm… — with all the interesting things left out.
By that time, to hide its real identity, it was enameled over to look like nothing more than a fairly interesting statuette.
Used with verbs:
«The book is interesting.«
(be: is/am/are, appears to be, looks, seems, sounds)
«The movie became interesting towards the end.«
(became, got)
«I find her stories very interesting.«
(find)
Used with adverbs:
«The movie is extremely interesting.«
(extremely, fairly, very)
«His grandfather’s war stories are deeply interesting.«
(deeply, especially, highly, incredibly, most, truly)
«I find both of your stories equally interesting.«
(equally)
«I find her stories not at all interesting.«
(not at all, not remotely)
«This book is truly interesting.«
(truly, genuinely)
«He is always interesting.«
(always)
Used with prepositions:
«The show is not very interesting for young children.«
(for, to)
Used with nouns:
«There was an interesting article in the newspaper today.«
(article, story)
«We had an interesting conversation.«
(conversation, chat, discussion)
«The scientists made an interesting discovery.«
(discovery, find)
«Skydiving was an interesting experience.«
(experience)
«There are many interesting people in the world.«
(people)
Definition of Interesting
able to attract your attention or make you want to know more
Examples of Interesting in a sentence
Terry spent most of his afternoon absorbed in an interesting article about the most dangerous animals on earth.
🔊
The children sat silently, captivated by the storyteller’s interesting tale of a man-eating monster.
🔊
Although I didn’t find the movie interesting, my sister loved it and thought it to be one of the most gripping films she had ever seen.
🔊
Other words in the Uncategorized category:
Most Searched Words (with Video)
Sentences starting with interesting
- Interesting inscriptions of the time of Rameses the Great, (14 centuries B. C.) referring to the gold-mines, have been found, one at Radesich, the other at Kubnn, and have been published and deciphered in Europe. [10]
- Interesting interesting! [11]
Sentences ending with interesting
- I wish she would furnish us with the romance which, as I said, our tea-table needs to make it interesting. [6]
- Strangely enough, Mr. Worthington’s remarks on American Indians are not only intelligent, but interesting. [9]
- His early experience with it, however, seems interesting. [5]
- And then life will begin to be interesting. [4]
- Once get it well into your heads, and you will find it renders the landscape wonderfully interesting. [6]
- They were likewise welcome because all pilots are tireless talkers, when gathered together, and as they talk only about the river they are always understood and are always interesting. [5]
- Their clothes were very interesting. [5]
- The expression is very interesting. [5]
- It must be very interesting. [5]
- I suppose it’s very interesting. [2]
Short sentences using interesting
- Well, that’s interesting, too. [8]
- They made her originality interesting. [8]
- These works are most interesting. [1]
- This is very interesting. [8]
- Come, this one’s interesting. [5]
- You’ll see something interesting. [4]
- Nature is always interesting. [4]
- It is very interesting. [4]
- The man was interesting. [11]
- That might be interesting. [11]
Sentences containing interesting two or more times
- How interesting such young voyagers are, and how interesting they are to each other! [4]
- You’re quite the most interesting person I’ve met for a long time—I don’t think you realize how interesting you are. [9]
- In general I have noticed that it is very easy to be an interesting man (I am an interesting man now); people invite me out and tell me all about myself. [2]
- It is not enough for a nation to be great and strong, it must be interesting, and interesting it cannot be without cultivation of local variety. [4]
- He found life and people so interesting that he couldn’t help but be interesting himself. [11]
More example sentences with the word interesting in them
- A very interesting young married woman, detained at home at the time by the state of her health, was bitten in the entry of her own house by a rattlesnake which had found its way down from The Mountain. [6]
- A very interesting young man, the Deacon said, much given to the reading of pious books. [6]
- Four or five years ago, some workmen who were digging foundations for a house came upon this interesting relic of a long-departed age. [5]
- Morgan’s most interesting work, ‘The American Beaver,’ 1868, p. 300. [1]
- Tylor’s very interesting work, ‘Researches into the Early History of Mankind,’ 1865, chaps. [1]
- It is interesting, wonderfully interesting—the miracles which party-politics can do with a man’s mental and moral make-up. [5]
- This is a wonderfully interesting supposition of yours, and may prove to be strictly in accordance with the facts. [6]
- But it was wisely ordered otherwise, to the end that we should improve our time by an interesting study of human nature. [4]
- It is so wild and interesting and exciting and enchanting that it ought to take a week. [5]
- Are we not whole years short of that interesting period of life when Mr. Balzac says that a man, etc., etc., etc.? [6]
- Powhatan served the whites with the best he had, and best of all with a friendly welcome and with interesting discourse of the country. [4]
- The distinguished part which you, Mr. Minister, have acted in the history of that interesting country, is well known here. [7]
- The two catalogues which herald his coming are themselves interesting literary documents. [6]
- The country press, which had far and wide printed the interesting story, softened it in accordance with the later development. [4]
- It mattered little whether most people were changed or not because one state of their minds could not be less or more interesting than another; but a change in Laura. [11]
- The Sagalac, even when muddy, had its own deep interest, and when it was full of logs drifting down to the sawmills, for which he had found the money by interesting capitalists in the East, he sniffed the stinging smell of the pines with elation. [11]
- Just as they were about to enter the office, however, Jonas Billings, who had a faculty for being everywhere at the interesting moment, said, so as to be heard by Mazarine and his lawyer, and all others standing near. [11]
- In this building we saw many interesting relics of the war. [5]
- It is really, we repeat, such an interesting world, and most people get so little out of it. [4]
- During this interregnum we begin a very original and interesting series of maneuvers. [2]
- Since this chapter was written Sir J. Lubbock has published his ‘Origin of Civilisation,’ 1870, in which there is an interesting chapter on the present subject, and from which (pp. [1]
- As the bird was unable to crack them, he placed them one by one in his water-glass, evidently with the notion that they would in time become softer—an interesting proof of intelligence on the part of these birds. [1]
- What was interesting was the open-mindedness with which, on both sides, the argument was conducted, and the fact that it could seriously take place then and there. [9]
- The interesting fact was that she was obliged to judge this world according to the standards of literature, morals, and manners that had been implanted in her mainly by the influence of one person. [4]
- Unless a thing was really interesting, stood out, as it were, he had no use for it—nor for man nor woman. [11]
- That the habit was most extensively practised during former times, even by the ancestors of civilised nations, is clearly shewn by the preservation of many curious customs and ceremonies, of which Mr. M’Lennan has given an interesting account. [1]
- That little boat was interesting in every way. [5]
- The literature which was furnished for Myrtle’s improvement was chiefly of a religious character, and, however interesting and valuable to those to whom it was adapted, had not been chosen with any wise regard to its fitness for her special conditions. [6]
- They have, also—which was far more interesting to me—a piece of the true cross, and some nails, and a part of the crown of thorns. [5]
- See Mr. R. Warington’s interesting articles in ‘Annals and Magazine of Natural History,’ October 1852, and November 1855. [1]
- The story was very pretty and interesting, especially at the point where the rivals suddenly recognized one another; and the ladies looked agitated. [2]
- Besides, it was very interesting to have Mr. Morgan’s point of view of Washington, and to see the shifting panorama through his experience. [4]
- It became a very interesting question with them who this M. Babinet might be. [6]
- These will be very interesting facts, if they can be established. [5]
- There is nothing very elegant or interesting in the record so far, but it all has to do with the annexation of Pango Wango, and, as Blithelygo long afterwards remarked, it shows how nations sometimes acquire territory. [11]
- This is a very curious and interesting circumstance, and is a withering rebuke to those philosophers who would make us believe that it is not possible for any portion of the earth to fly off into space. [5]
- It was as valuable as interesting, too, since it would open up the deserted summits of the highest Alps to population and agriculture. [5]
- Slightly picturesque this valley is with its winding river and high hills guarding it, and perhaps a person would enjoy a foot-tramp down it; but, I think he would find little peculiar or interesting after he left the neighborhood of the Basin of Minas. [4]
- Then he put up posters promising to devote his whole paper to matters connected with the great event—there would be a full and intensely interesting biography of the murderer, and even a portrait of him. [5]
- She was not unusually pretty, nor yet young,—quite as old as himself,—and yet he wondered what it was that made her so interesting. [11]
- This train-express goes twenty and one-half miles an hour, schedule time; but it is fast enough, the outlook upon sea and land is so interesting, and the cars so comfortable. [5]
- We took a turn around the town, after dinner, and found it fully as interesting in the moonlight as it had been in the daytime. [5]
- It was a troublesome place to get down to, and not a quiet place when you arrived; but it was interesting. [5]
- On that interesting topic he would permit no discussion. [11]
- Well, that’s interesting too,—part of a doctor’s business. [9]
- He had already told them yesterday much that was fresh and interesting about the Imperial court; to-day he entered into fuller details of the brilliant life his young lord had led at Constantinople, whither he had accompanied him. [10]
- It was interesting to watch the groups under the locusts, to see the management of the ferry, the mounting and dismounting of the riding-parties, and to study the colors on the steep hill opposite, halfway up which was a neat cottage and flower-garden. [4]
- Interesting, and easy to understand—except in one detail, which I will mention presently. [5]
- In the frontispiece to the fine old ‘Junta’ edition of the works of Galen, you may find among the wood-cuts a representation of the interesting scene, with the title Amantas Dignotio,—the diagnosis, or recognition, of the lover. [6]
- Then Meyerbeer began to see, not only an interesting thing, but «copy. [11]
- It is interesting to see how old questions are incidentally settled in the course of these new investigations. [3]
- It was better to put up quietly with his disappointment; and, if he could get no favorable opportunity that evening to resume his conversation at the interesting point where he left it off, he would call the next day and bring matters to a conclusion. [6]
- From December, 1797, to October, 1799, he remained with Dr. Holyoke as a student, a period which he has spoken of as a most interesting and most gratifying part of his life. [3]
- It is interesting to observe that Montaigne, Franklin, and Emerson all show the same fondness for Plutarch. [6]
- The matter came to nothing, of course, but the fact that Daly should have thought a story built from an old discarded play had a play in it seems interesting. [5]
- It is interesting to note the use of the title, the «Duke of Bilgewater,» in Huck Finn when the «Duchess of Bilgewater» had already made her appearance in 1601. [5]
- It is interesting to note that for a time he laid aside his attitude of the dispassionate observer, and caught the general excitement. [4]
- The problem is to my mind not only interesting, but exceptionally curious. [6]
- The book seems to me clever, interesting, very amusing, and likely to please generally. [14]
- These details seem to me all inadequate and misleading, for the attraction of the face that made it interesting is still undefined. [4]
- The lettuce is to me a most interesting study. [4]
- It helps greatly to make this country interesting that nearly every State has its peculiarities, and that the inhabitants of different sections differ in manner and speech. [4]
- One only has to leave home to learn how to write an interesting letter to an absent friend when he gets back. [5]
- In writing once to his partner in Montreal he had spoken of Pierre as «an admirable, interesting scoundrel. [11]
- It is interesting to hear what people will say about a man. [5]
- It is interesting to contrast the funeral ceremonies of the Princess Victoria with those of her noted ancestor Kamehameha the Conqueror, who died fifty years ago—in 1819, the year before the first missionaries came. [5]
- It is interesting to compare this first sketch with the elaboration of it in the essay on «The Angler» in the «Sketch-Book. [4]
- And it is to be noticed that this fashion is accompanied by other phenomena as interesting. [4]
- He bore the title of professor, was a chemist, and I learned from friends versed in that science that it was indebted to him for interesting discoveries. [10]
- If I had time to run around and talk, I would do it; for there is much politics agoing, and it would be interesting if a body could get the hang of it. [5]
- I have only time briefly to refer to Professor Draper’s most ingenious theory as to the photographic nature of vision, for an account of which I must refer to his original and interesting Treatise on Physiology. [3]
- While he was thus conjecturing in his own mind, a very interesting part of the exhibition was going on, which called the attention of all present. [5]
- Then a ramble through the town, which is a quaint one, with interesting, crooked streets, and narrow, crooked lanes, with here and there a grain of dust. [5]
- To deal with this sort of human decadent is, therefore, the most interesting problem that can be offered to the psychologist, to the physiologist, to the educator, to the believer in the immortality of the soul. [4]
- I confess that this little picture of a fire on the hearth so many centuries ago helps to make real and interesting to me that somewhat misty past. [4]
- It was at this interesting juncture that Mrs. Holt rattled her newspaper a little louder than usual, arose majestically, and addressed Mrs. Joshua. [9]
- The history of this gentleman may be found in an interesting series of questions (unfortunately not yet answered) contained in the ‘Notes and Queries. [6]
- Being satisfied with this effort I looked around for other worlds to conquer, and it struck me that it would make good, interesting matter to charge the editor of a neighboring country paper with a piece of gratuitous rascality and «see him squirm. [5]
- He could not think so, but Gaston had not shown yet, either for model, for daughter of joy, or for the mademoiselles of the stage any disposition to an amour or a misalliance; and either would be interesting and sufficient! [11]
- There is nothing they are not interesting in, nothing about which they cannot talk, and talk intensely. [4]
- We were reviewing these interesting proceedings when Mrs. Cooke came hurrying towards us. [9]
- I don’t suppose there is anything in all this nonsense about «Addison’s Disease,» but I wish he hadn’t spoken of that very interesting ailment, and I should feel a little easier if that discoloration would leave my forehead. [6]
- And now and then an interesting new addition to the Science slang appears on the page. [5]
- He says that the world is more complex, varied, and a thousand times as interesting as it was in what we call its youth, and that it is as fresh, as individual and capable of producing odd and eccentric characters as ever. [4]
- Concord is on the whole the most interesting of all the inland towns of New England. [6]
- This will make the walls interesting and instructive and really worth something instead of being just flat things to hold the house together. [5]
- Its maps of the surface of the head are, I feel sure, founded on a delusion, but its studies of individual character are always interesting and instructive. [3]
- It was in the smoking-room that Henderson and Mavick fell into an interesting conversation, which resulted in an invitation for Mavick to drop in at Henderson’s office in the morning. [4]
- And this is the reason why psychological studies of the abnormal, or biographies of criminal lunatics, are only interesting to pathologists and never become classics in literature. [4]
- The story of the reason of this liberality is pathetically interesting, and shows the sort of pickle that an honest man may get into who undertakes to do an honest job of work for Uncle Sam. [5]
- It is merely the picturesqueness of his insanity that makes it more interesting than my kind or yours. [5]
- With respect to the origin of articulate language, after having read on the one side the highly interesting works of Mr. Hensleigh Wedgwood, the Rev. [1]
- The walk round the old wall of Chester is wonderfully interesting and beautiful. [6]
- His feelings on the occasion, however interesting to himself, should not be even named in this connection. [3]
- Yet she is the most painfully interesting being,—so handsome! [6]
- New phases of the most interesting case Charley had ever defended spread out before him—the case which had given him his friend Jo Portugais, which had turned his own destiny. [11]
- The development of the moral qualities is a more interesting problem. [1]
- For short distances the lowest poverty, the hardest pressed labor, must walk; but March never entered a car without encountering some interesting shape of shabby adversity, which was almost always adversity of foreign birth. [8]
- Yet sidelights on the life of every great man are interesting. [9]
- The mosaic on the left side—which is, perhaps, the finest one of the period in existence—is interesting on another account. [4]
This page helps answer: how do I use the word interesting in a sentence? How do you use interesting in a sentence? Can you give me a sentence for the word interesting?
It contains example sentences with the word interesting, a sentence example for interesting, and interesting in sample sentence.
INTERESTING vs. INTERESTED IN
The answer may come as a surprise to you. Let’s look at these 2 sample sentences using interested in and interesting:
a) I am interested in politics.
b) Politics is interesting.
These are not verbs. They are both adjectives!
Here is an example with “interest” as a verb. Notice it is a transitive verb that needs a reflexive pronoun as its object:
c) Politics interests me. (interests = transitive verb*; me = reflexive pronoun*)
* See upcoming blog posts for explanations of these grammar terms.
3 HELPFUL RULES:
Rule 1: Use the “-ed” form when you talk about internal feelings.
Rule 2: Use the “-ing” form when describing something external.
Rule 3: Although these words are based on verbs, they are more frequently used in their adjective form.
Here are 3 more examples comparing the “-ed” and “-ing” forms:
1a) The students are bored (because the teacher and the class is boring).
2a) He seems tired (because his work is tiring).
3a) They were confused (because the story was confusing).
Now look at these examples, in the verb form:
1b) The teacher and class bored me.
2b) His work tires him.
3b) The story confused them.
Here is a short exercise to check your comprehension.
Directions: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the word shown in brackets.
1. The documentary they showed was very __________ (interest).
2. The pupils seem __________ (distract) in their math class.
3. When the football season ended, the fans were rather ___________ (disappoint) their team came in second place.
4. Knowing how _________ (worry) my mother can get, I phone her every day.
5. I can hear banging noises in my office all day due to the construction work going on. It really ________ (disturb) me.
Scroll down for the answers.
Answer Key:
- interesting
- distracted
- disappointed
- worried
- disturbs
If you have any questions, please email info@thebostonschool.com or share this page with your students or those learning English. If only to see that they cheated to get all the answers correct!
(How to use ‘interested’ and ‘interesting’)
What is the difference between ‘interesting’ and ‘interested’?
The English words interesting and interested are both adjectives. Due to their similarity, English language learners may easily confuse them in a sentence. However, they have different meanings, which must be considered to avoid misunderstandings. Compare these differences in example sentences:
- The adjective ‘interesting’ describes how you or someone else perceives another person or thing, that is, how that person or thing is in the eye of the beholder:
- “The film we saw yesterday was very interesting.”
- This sentence shows the adjective referring to a thing, in this case, ‘film’.
- “When we were in South America, we had an interesting trip through the jungle.”
- Here, it is also a relation to a thing, the ‘trip’.
- “Our new neighbour is an interesting person.”
- In this statement, the adjective modifies a person, the ‘neighbour’.
- “The film we saw yesterday was very interesting.”
- In contrast, ‘interested’ is used when you want to express how you or another person feels or looks to the outside world:
- “The two ladies were interested in buying a car.”
- “Oscar is interested in the job the new company is offering.”
- Both adjectives refer to people (‘the two ladies’ and ‘Oscar’) and indicate their interest in something.
Other adjectives ending in ‘-ing’ and ‘-ed’
Following the rules above, many other adjectives that end in ‘-ed’ and ‘-ing’ exist and express emotions or states of mind. For further details, you may also read the corresponding section in the article on the usage of adjectives. For now, compare some of them in the following examples:
- ‘boring’ and ‘bored’:
- “What a boring show.”
- “My sister often feels bored in the evening.”
- ‘embarrassing’ and ‘embarrassed’:
- “Your friend’s comment was embarrassing.”
- “Paula was embarrassed when you asked her about her age.”
- ‘exciting’ and ‘excited’:
- “My parents had an exciting experience in China.”
- “My favourite band is coming to town. I’m so excited.”
- ‘annoying’ and ‘annoyed’:
- “My new colleague is very annoying.”
- “I think Melissa is really annoyed. She isn’t saying anything.”
- ‘disappointing’ and ‘disappointed’:
- “The conversation with my boss was very disappointing.”
- “I’m a bit disappointed that you didn’t invite me.”
- Also, consider some additional adjectives that function according to the same principle. They are used quite often:
- confused/confusing
- tired/tiring
- amazed/amazing
- exhausted/exhausting
- shocked/shocking
- terrified/terrifying
Further explanations related to the ‘Difference of ‘interesting’ and ‘interested’’
The following explanations relate to the topic ‘Usage and differentiation of ‘interested’ and ‘interesting’ in English’ and could be helpful too:
- Comparison of English adjectives (with ‘-er/-est’ and ‘more/most’)
- Difference between ‘do & make’
- Interjections in English grammar
- Exercise 1: difference of ‘interesting & interested’