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what is the grammatical function of the gerund phrase

by Christiana Kulas Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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What are the major functions of gerund?

  1. Functions of gerund as a subject of the verb: Obviously, as it works like noun, it functions as a subject of a verb in the sentence. ...
  2. Functions of gerund as an object of the verb They love wandering early in the morning. Cubs enjoy swimming everyday in the pool. ...
  3. Functions of gerund as a verb complement

A gerund phrase is a group of words consisting of a gerund and the modifier(s) and/or (pro)noun(s) or noun phrase(s) that function as the direct object(s), indirect object(s), or complement(s) of the action or state expressed in the gerund, such as: The gerund phrase functions as the subject of the sentence.

Full Answer

What is a gerund Phrase?

A gerund phrase is a phrase consisting of a gerund and any modifiers or objects associated with it. A gerund is a noun made from a verb root plus ing (a present participle). A whole gerund phrase functions in a sentence just like a noun, and can act as a subject, an object, or a predicate nominative.

What are the characteristics of gerunds?

The phrase will always start with a gerund. The gerund phrase will either have a modifier, an object or both. The entire phrase will function as a noun. The phrase will have singular agreement with a verb.

What is a whole gerund?

A gerund is a noun made from a verb root plus ing (a present participle). A whole gerund phrase functions in a sentence just like a noun, and can act as a subject, an object, or a predicate nominative.

What are the four positions of a gerund Phrase?

We’ll see them in one of four positions in a sentence: subject, subject complement, object, or object of a preposition. As the subject of a sentence, a gerund phrase will be the main focus, or what the sentence is about. The gerund phrase is actually performing the action in the sentence.

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What are the 5 function of gerund?

Gerund. A gerund is a word that is created with a verb but functions as a noun, always ending in -ing. Being used as a noun, a gerund can function as a subject, a subject complement, a direct object, an indirect object, or an object of a preposition.

What's a gerund phrase example?

Gerund phrases can also function as subjects, such as in the sentence "Exercising every day keeps you healthy." All the words before the verb "keeps" are part of the gerund phrase. More examples include: Reading romance novels is relaxing. Swimming with friends helps me unwind.

What are 5 examples of phrases?

5 Examples of PhrasesNoun Phrase; Friday became a cool, wet afternoon.Verb Phrase; Mary might have been waiting outside for you..Gerund Phrase; Eating ice cream on a hot day can be a good way to cool off.Infinitive Phrase; She helped to build the roof.Prepositional Phrase; In the kitchen, you will find my mom.

How many types of gerund phrases are there?

Just like nouns and noun phrases, gerunds and gerund phrases can be used in several different ways in sentences. In general, there are four different ways that we use gerunds: as subjects, subject complements, direct objects, and objects of prepositions.

What are the 10 examples of phrases?

Examples are:The book was on the table.We camped by the brook.He knew it was over the rainbow.She was lost in the dark of night.He was between a rock and a hard place.I waited for a while.She smelled of strawberries and cream.He won the challenge against all odds.

How do you write a gerund phrase?

A gerund phrase is a phrase consisting of a gerund and any modifiers or objects associated with it. A gerund is a noun made from a verb root plus ing (a present participle).

What are phrases examples?

Phrase definition: A phrase is a grammatical term referring to a group of words that does not include a subject and verb....Some examples of phrases include:after the meal (prepositional phrase)the nice neighbor (noun phrase)were waiting for the movie (verb phrase)

How do you identify a gerund?

A gerund is the –ing form of a verb that functions the same as a noun. For example, “Running is fun.” In this sentence, “running” is the gerund. It acts just like a noun.

How do you recognize a gerund phrase when you see one?

A gerund phrase will follow these rules, which can help you identify a gerund phrase in a sentence:

What is the gerund phrase in a sentence?

So, we can breakdown the gerund phrase like so: The gerund in the sentence is eating. (Remember, a gerund is a noun that is formed by adding the -ing suffix to a verb.) The Gerund phrase object in the sentence (the thing being acted upon, in this case by eating) is a slice of pie. The modifier in the sentence is quickly.

What is a gerund phrase?

A gerund phrase is created when a gerund – a verb that takes an – ing form and functions as a noun – has a modifier, object or both. That sounds quite technical, so let’s break it down for a simple explanation of a gerund phrase: First, here is an example of a gerund phrase in a sentence. Eating a slice of pie quickly is a recipe for disaster.

How do we know the second example is not a gerund phrase?

It is a participle phrase, which acts like an adjective. We can see this by replacing the phrase with a noun and seeing that it does not make sense:

What is the object of a preposition?

The object of a preposition is simply a word or phrase that is preceded by a preposition and completes its meaning.

What do happy children and almost all teenagers do best?

Making noise is what happy children and almost all teenagers do best.

Is a gerund a nominative?

In the following examples, the gerund phrase is acting as a predicate nominative. A predicate nominative completes the linking verb and renames the subject. For example, in the examples below the gerund phrases answer or define the first part of the sentence.

What Is a Gerund Phrase?

Gerund phrases begin with gerunds, which are -ing verbs that function as nouns. Examples of gerunds in simple sentences include:

How do gerund phrases form?

Gerund phrases are formed when you add more words to the gerund in a sentence, such as: I love swimming in the pool. Perform ing with my band is so fun. Walking on the beach relaxes me. A gerund phrase starts with a gerund and includes other modifiers or objects.

Why are gerund phrases so tricky?

Gerund phrases are a tricky bunch because they’re created out of verbs but function as nouns. Once you can identify a gerund phrase, you'll know more about the sentence's structure. Keep reading to learn more about gerund phrases and how they work.

What are gerunds in a sentence?

We’ll see them in one of four positions in a sentence: subject, subject complement, object, or object of a preposition.

What is the object of a sentence?

The object of the sentence is something that’s receiving the action of the verb. A typical sentence will have a subject, a verb indicating what that subject is doing, and an object that’s responding to the verb. Here are some examples of gerund phrases functioning as objects.

Is "gerund" a verbal phrase?

Gerunds: Just One Kind of Verbal Phrase. When used properly, gerunds and gerund phrases are a nice way to beef up our nouns. But they are only one kind of verbal phrase that can improve your writing and add more information.

Can you substitute gerund phrases with a noun?

Notice how these gerund phrases follow the verb of the sentence but modify the subject rather than the verb itself. You can substitute any of these gerund phrases with another noun, such as "basketball,"

What is a Gerund phrase?

Like all nouns, a gerund phrase can function as a subject, an object, or a complement within a sentence. For example: Eating blackberries quickly is a bad idea. (Here, the gerund phrase is the subject of the verb "is.") She hates waiting for trains. (The gerund phrase is the direct object of the verb "hates.")

What are some examples of gerund phrases?

Here are some easy examples of gerund phrases. (In these examples, the gerund phrases are shaded, and the gerunds are bold.) Removing the dressing quickly is the best way. Here are the parts of the gerund phrase: gerund: "removing". direct object: "the dressing". modifier: "quickly".

What are the parts of a gerund?

The Parts of a Gerund Phrase. All gerunds end "-ing.". They are nouns formed from verbs. For example: eating (from the verb "to eat") taking (from the verb "to take") painting (from the verb "to paint") A gerund is not like a normal noun because a gerund can take a direct object (just like a verb can).

Can gerunds be modified?

Gerunds can also be modified. For example:

Is "ing" a gerund?

Not every word which ends "-ing" is a gerund. Present participles also end "-ing." Present participles are also verbals (i.e., words formed from verbs), but - unlike gerunds - they are not used as nouns. They are used as adjectives or to form verbs in a progressive tense.

Is "without washing them" an adverb?

In fact, "without washing them" is an adverbial phrase, which itself contains a gerund phrase ("washing them") consisting of a gerund ("washing") and its direct object ("them"). Read more about gerunds .

Who wrote the smashing grammar book?

Buy a grammar book written by Craig Shrives. less... "Smashing Grammar". Written by the founder of Grammar Monster, "Smashing Grammar" includes a comprehensive A-Z glossary of essential grammar terms, a detailed punctuation section, and a chapter on easily confused words.

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Not Acting Like A noun? It’S A Participle Phrase

  • Gerund phrases can easily be confused with participle phrases. It is possible, for example, to encounter the gerund phrasewe used above in a context where it is not acting like a noun. When used as a modifier—that is, as an adjective or adverb—it is now a participle phrase. Here, runnin…
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Gerund Phrases as Objects

  • Just as nouns sometimes function as objects in a sentence, so can gerund phrases. In this sentence, the gerund phrase running with scissors is the direct object of the verb enjoys. We could easily replace it with a simpler object noun to confirm that it really is an object. (That would be a much better idea, Tim.) We could also use this gerund phraseas an indirect object. Like many in…
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Dangling Gerunds

  • You may have heard of dangling participles; dangling gerunds are quite similar. Dangling gerunds are somewhat less frequent, but they can crop up when gerunds or gerund phrases are acting as objects of a preposition such as before, after, by, or with. The gerund phraseis said to be dangling here because it is mismatched with the subject that follows, creating an illogical scenario. The w…
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