The layout of this page is bored / boring

Question

Hi teachers,The layout of this page is bored / boring.I'm not sure if I heard it correctly, but I think the speaker said "bored".  Could you tell me which one is correct?Thank you.Tinanam

Dave Phillips · Accepted Answer

Boring.

Bored - is past

Boring - continuous

The page hasn't stopped boring the reader so therefore is boring

CalifJim · Answer

You need boring because the subject is inanimate.

These words come from verbs of psychological state ("psych verbs").

Only a person (or one of the higher animals) can feel emotions, that is, psychological states. Therefore only a person (or one of the higher animals) (as the subject of a sentence) can be bored, worried, dismayed, astounded, disheartened, annoyed, refreshed, interested, horrified, .... (There are many, many other psych verbs.)

When the subject of the sentence is inanimate, that thing, physical object, or situation can only be boring, worrying, dismaying, astounding, disheartening, annoying, refreshing, interesting, horrifying, ... -- not bored, worried, dismayed, etc.

But a person can also be boring, worrying, dismaying, etc. so either form is available for a person.

*The books were interested. Impossible.
The books were interesting. People felt interest toward the books.
All the candidates were interested. The candidates felt interest.
All the candidates were interesting. People felt interest toward the candidates.

*The car accident was horrified. Impossible.
The car accident was horrifying. People felt horror toward the car accident.
The child was horrified. The child felt horror.
The child was horrifying. People felt horror toward the child.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Hi CalifJim,

Thank you for your detailed explanations.

1. I'd like to ask about if "a troubled essay" which I read in a book, and I think it should be "a troubling essay", much the same way you explained to me.

2. If you have to say it, would you say, "I have a recurrent nightmare" or "I have a recurring nightmare."

Thank you very much.

Tinanam

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymous1. I'd like to ask about if "a troubled essay" which I read in a book, and I think it should be "a troubling essay", much the same way you explained to me.

Yes. Without further context, "troubling" goes with "essay". There is the possibility that the author is using figurative language, of course, and in that case "a troubled essay" might mean an essay which disorganized, poorly constructed -- as if, supposing it were a person, it were "troubled".

Anonymous2. If you have to say it, would you say, "I have a recurrent nightmare" or "I have a recurring nightmare."

I'm not sure which I would say. Both seem fine. Note that English has inherited the adjectival endings -ent and -ant from Latin, where they mean about the same as -ing does in English.

CJ

Tranquility · Answer

I totally agree with CalifJIm.

Tinanam0102 · Answer

Hi CalifJim,

Thank you so much.

I'm sorry I couldn't have provided more context. I copied it down in my notebook. But I'd like that figurative language you mentioned which makes all the sense.

Tinanam

The layout of this page is bored / boring

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