Difference between offensive and offending

[Guest]

Test No. incompl/inter-95 "Letter of Complaint (2)", question 5

which I found most ......... especially since throughout the protracted period of waiting for the machine

(a) offended
(b) offending
(c) offensive
(d) offends

Test No. incompl/inter-95 "Letter of Complaint (2)", answer 5

which I found most offensive especially since throughout the protracted period of waiting for the machine

Correct answer: (c) offensive

Your answer was: incorrect
which I found most offending especially since throughout the protracted period of waiting for the machine
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I don't understand the difference between "offensive" and "offending" in this context.

Further short question - this "most" can be translated with "very", too?

[Alan]

You need the adjective offensive here. You would have to use offending more in a verbal sense or as an adjective suggesting some kind of active meaning.

So we can say:

Please remove the offending remarks from the letter - in the sense that they could cause offence.

Please remove the offensive remarks from the letter - in the sense that they have already caused offence.
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English as a Second Language
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