When learning English, distinguishing between “confused” and “confusing” can be quite challenging for ESL students. These words, although related, function differently in sentences. “Confused” is an adjective that describes the state of being perplexed or unclear about something. It is used to express a feeling experienced by a person. On the other hand, “confusing” is also an adjective, but it describes something that causes confusion. This section aims to clarify the usage of these terms through practical examples and explanations, helping you to understand and use them correctly in everyday situations.
How do you know when something is confused or confusing? When the movie wasn’t so great, was I bored or boring? Does it make a difference if I tell my friend he’s annoyed or annoying?
It does. And there’s an easy way to know which one to choose.
Words that end with -ed talk about a person’s feelings.
Examples-
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- John was so bored on his date. He really wanted to leave.
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- Karen was annoyed with her employee. This employee was always late.
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- Curt was confused about the new rules. They were very complicated.
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- The children were excited about the school trip.
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- Melanie was surprised to get a gift.
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- The class was interested in the game.
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Words that end with -ing, however, talk about the situation or thing that cause a person’s feelings.
Examples-
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- The date was really boring. John wanted to leave.
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- The employee was annoying. He was always late.
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- The rules were confusing. They were complicated.
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- The school trip was exciting.
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- The gift was surprising.
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- The game was interesting.
So …
John was bored/ the date was boring
Karen was annoyed/ the employee was annoying
Curt was confused/ the rules were confusing
The children were excited/ the school trip was exciting
Melanie was surprised/ the gift was surprising.
The class was interested/ the game was interesting
Practice Quiz on “Confused” and “Confusing”
To further solidify your understanding, here’s a practice quiz with five questions. Each question will present a sentence where you have to decide whether “confused” or “confusing” should be used. This will help test your knowledge on the distinction between being in a state of confusion and encountering something that causes confusion.
Choose the correct word
1. I always feel excited/exciting when I take a vacation.
2. The news was very interested/ interesting.
3. Everyone was surprised/ surprising when Tom Cruise came to the party.
4. Teri is always so confused/ confusing when she reads English.
5. That loud TV is so annoyed/ annoying.
6. When I am in the office, I am bored/ boring.
Answer Key:
1. excited (person’s feeling)
2. interesting (situation that caused the feeling)
3. surprised (person’s feeling)
4. confused (person’s feeling)
5. annoying (situation that caused the feeling)
6. This is a trick question-
If you say “I am bored,” you don’t feel happy or excited.
If you say “I am boring,” other people feel bored because of you.
Frequently Asked Questions About "Confused" and "Confusing"
“Confused” describes a person’s state of mind when they do not understand something (e.g., “I am confused by the instructions.”). “Confusing” describes something that is difficult to understand and causes confusion (e.g., “These instructions are confusing.”).
No, they cannot. “Confused” refers to the emotional or mental state of a person, while “confusing” attributes the quality of causing confusion to an object or situation.
You can use “confused” when talking about someone’s feelings of misunderstanding, for example, “She was confused about which road to take.”
You can describe anything that makes understanding difficult with “confusing,” such as “The lecture was confusing,” or “His directions were confusing.”
Saying “I am confusing” means you are causing confusion to others, which is not typically intended. Usually, one would say “I am confused” to express personal difficulty in understanding.