At school, many students say things like, "Math class is so boring," or "I am bored in math class." Both sentences are correct, but they use different words. The first sentence talks about the class, and the second talks about how the student feels. This small difference is very important in English.
When we use an -ing adjective, we describe a thing or a situation. For example, "The game is boring" tells us about the game itself. "The story is interesting" tells us that the story can make people feel interested. Other common examples include "exciting" and "surprising." These -ing adjectives describe how something affects the people around it.
When we use an -ed adjective, we describe how a person feels inside. "I am bored" means I feel bored because of something around me. "She is interested in science" means science gives her an interested feeling. "The students are excited about the trip" means the students have that excited feeling inside them. The -ed adjective always describes the person who has the feeling.
Here is a simple rule to help you remember: if the subject is a thing, use the -ing form. If the subject is a person, use the -ed form. For example, "The match is boring, and many fans look bored." The match is a thing, so we say "boring." The fans are people, so we say "bored." Once you learn this rule, you will make fewer mistakes.
Now think about the title again: "Is the game boring, or am I just bored?" The game is a thing, so it can be "boring." I am a person, so I can feel "bored." The next time you feel bored in class, try to ask yourself: is this class really boring, or am I just not trying hard enough? Isn't that an interesting question?