Use gerunds when the word is the subject of a sentence, or if the verb comes after a preposition. There are several specific cases where gerunds are required, but with a little effort you’ll be using gerunds perfectly! Make a gerund the subject of a sentence. It’s appropriate to use a gerund if the action verb is the subject of the sentence.
What is an example of a sentence using gerund?
Gerund Phrase Examples
- Sleeping through the night is difficult for me.
- Making noise is what happy children and almost all teenagers do best.
- Watching bad television defined my teenage years.
- Running with scissors on a slippery floor was a terrible idea.
- Travelling across France should be a rite of passage for all writers.
Is the use of a gerund beginning a sentence acceptable?
That advice is baloney. Gerunds are participles (-ing words) used as nouns, and a gerund starting a sentence as the subject is perfectly acceptable. Writing requires the intelligent use of language. Click to expand...
How does the gerund function in the sentence?
The functions of the gerund in the sentence
- The gerund as a subject. Talking mends no holes. ...
- The gerund as a predicative. The only remedy for such a headache as mine is going to bed.
- The gerund as part of a compound verbal predicate.
What is the difference between a gerund and an infinitive?
A gerund is the –ing form of a verb that functions the same as a noun. It acts just like a noun. The infinitive form of a verb appears either as the basic form (with no marking) or with the word “to.”. For example, you can say “I might run to the store” or “I like to run.”. In this sentence, “to run” is the infinitive.
How the gerunds work as the object of the sentence?
Gerunds as objects Just like nouns and noun phrases, gerunds and gerund phrases can be used as objects in sentences/clauses. They can be used as both direct objects as well as objects of prepositions: Gerund as a direct object: Helena has mastered fencing. Gerund phrase as a direct object: They hate mowing the lawn.
When to use gerunds and give examples?
A gerund is the noun form of a verb that ends in -ing. For example, playing, dancing, eating. Right away this is confusing for students, as they are used to seeing that form as the continuous/progressive form of the verb (“she is eating”, “they were dancing”).
What are the 3 types of gerund?
The four types of gerunds and gerund phrases follow:Subject. Gardening is my favorite hobby. (Gardening is normally a verb, but here it is the name of an activity.) ... Direct Object. My neighbors admire my gardening. ... Object of Preposition. I have received several awards for my gardening. ... Subject Complement.
What is gerund as a subject?
Gerunds as Subjects When the gerund is performing the action in the sentence, it's functioning as the subject. For example, in the sentence "Exercising keeps you healthy," the word "exercising" is performing the action "keeps." More examples of gerunds as subjects include: Reading is relaxing. Swimming helps me unwind.
Where are gerunds used?
Gerunds can be used after certain verbs including enjoy, fancy, discuss, dislike, finish, mind, suggest, recommend, keep, and avoid. After prepositions of place and time. I made dinner before getting home.
What are the 6 types of gerunds?
In this advanced grammar lesson, I cover the six ways you can use a gerund, including as a subject, object, complement, object of a preposition, and as the object of a possessive. Don't forget to take the quiz when you're done!
What are the 5 examples of gerund?
Examples of GerundsSwimming in the ocean has been Sharon's passion since she was five years old.The ballerina taught us dancing.Apologizing to me isn't enough this time.She is afraid of flying.They are capable of doing hard work.
Is walking a gerund?
Walking is a gerund here because, it is being used as a noun and not an adjective.
How to use gerund in a sentence?
1. Make a gerund the subject of a sentence. It’s appropriate to use a gerund if the action verb is the subject of the sentence. For example: Flying makes me nervous. Eating meat contributes to global warming. Smoking causes cancer. ...
What does gerund mean in English?
In the English language, gerunds are words that have an –ing ending and look like verbs, but actually function as nouns. They are quite common, especially in spoken English. Use gerunds when the word is the subject of a sentence, or if the verb comes after a preposition.
What is the difference between gerunds and present participles?
Gerunds are a specialized kind of noun ending in –ing, while present participles are verbs that indicate continuous tenses, also ending in –ing. Present participle: I’m thinking about going to bed early tonight. Gerund: Going to bed early is good for you.
When to use gerunds and infinitives?
Many people confuse the usage of gerunds and infinitives. Both can be used as subjects or complements of a sentence; however, gerunds often sound more natural, while infinitives sound more academic or philosophical.
Can you use a gerund as a complement?
Use a gerund as the complement of the verb “to be. ” If you have a complement verb that you’re pairing with the verb “to be,” then you’ll need to use the gerund form. For example: One of the best things in life is drinking wine with friends.
Is "gerund" a continuous verb?
There are certain compound nouns that include a gerund. In these situations, the context makes it clear that the gerund is part of the noun, not a continuous verb. For example: We have a swimming pool in our backyard. My mom bought me some new running shoes.
Do you put a gerund after an expression?
Insert a gerund after some common expressions. In the English language, there are quite a few common sayings that use gerunds as part of the expression. These include expressions like it’s no use, can’t stand, can’t help, or to be worth. For example:
What is a gerund?
What is the gerund and how is it used? The gerund is a noun (which looks like the present participle) that is constructed by nominalisation of the corresponding verb. Due to this characteristic as a noun, it can appear as a subject, object, or predicative expression (referring to one of the former).
How many forms can a gerund take?
What forms can the gerund take? A typical grammatical categorisation is that the gerund can have four different forms. These four are composed of two present and two perfect tense forms, each in the active and passive voice.
What is a predicative expression?
… as a predicative expression (that means belonging to the predicate as a subject or object complement). In most of these cases, it occurs together with the verb ‘ to be ’ or other linking verbs :#N#“His hardest task was writing the book.”#N#Careful: This is a predicative nominal and is not to be confused with the past continuous.#N#“Peter’s favourite hobby is playing the guitar.”#N#Careful: Likewise, not to be confused with the present continuous. 1 “His hardest task was writing the book.”#N#Careful: This is a predicative nominal and is not to be confused with the past continuous. 2 “Peter’s favourite hobby is playing the guitar.”#N#Careful: Likewise, not to be confused with the present continuous.
Is the gerund a participle?
The gerund corresponds precisely to the present participle or the ing-form and is, therefore, formed according to the respective rules. You can easily remember to append the suffix ‘- ing ’ to the base form (infinitive) of the verb, which is valid for most of the verbs.
How to find gerunds in a sentence?
Instead, they act as modifiers or complete progressive verbs. To find gerunds in sentences, just look for a verb + ing that is used as a noun. It’s that simple.
What is a gerund in grammar?
Gerunds are words that are formed with verbs but act as nouns. They’re very easy to spot, since every gerund is a verb with ing tacked to its tail. There are no exceptions to this rule. Like all things grammar, gerunds do take a tiny bit of detective work to spot.
What is a gerund?
Gerunds are words that are formed with verbs but act as nouns. They’re very easy to spot, since every gerund is a verb with ing tacked to its tail. There are no exceptions to this rule.
Is a gerund part of speech?
Although the term might sound foreign, the gerund is a common part of speech that most of us use every day, whether we know it or not. Here, we’ll take an in-depth look at gerunds and provide you with several examples of gerunds so you’ll feel comfortable using them in your writing, and so that you will be able to recognize them when you see them.
Do present participles end with ing?
The problem here is that present participles also end with the letters ing. Besides being able to spot gerunds, you should be able to tell the difference between a gerund and a present participle. Let’s go back to the definition of a gerund for a moment. Remember that gerunds are words that are formed with verbs but act as nouns.
Why are gerunds used in sentences?
Because they act like nouns, gerunds can be used as the subject of a sentence, the subject complement of the linking verb be, the object of a preposition, or the object of a verb. They can also be used to form compound nouns.
What is a gerund in a sentence?
A gerund is the “-ing” form of a verb when it functions grammatically as a noun in a sentence. Gerunds are identical in appearance to present participles, but they are not used to form tenses of the verb or provide adjectival information. Gerunds can either stand alone, or they can take a noun (the object of the gerund) and/or modifier (s) ...
Why are present participles used in gerunds?
It’s often easy to confuse present participles for gerunds because they look identical and operate in very similar ways. For instance, the present participles of verbs can be used to create dependent clauses that modify the rest of the sentence. For example:
Can a gerund be modified?
This may seem contradictory, since gerunds act like nouns, and adverbs can’t modify nouns. However, in this case, it is the gerund phrase that is functioning as a noun, so the gerund itself can still be modified by an adverb in the same way as a normal verb.
Is a gerund a noun?
This can be easy to do, because the present participle is paired with the verb be to form the present continuous tense and the past continuous tense of verbs, as in: Remember that a gerund or gerund phrase functions as a noun—if the sentence still makes grammatical sense after the word or phrase is replaced by a normal noun, ...
Is a gerund a participle?
Remember that a gerund or gerund phrase functions as a noun—if the sentence still makes grammatical sense after the word or phrase is replaced by a normal noun, then we are dealing with a gerund; if it does not make sense after being replaced by a normal noun, then it is a present participle.
Can gerunds be subject complements?
As a subject complement. Like predicative adjectives, gerunds can act as subject complements after the linking verb be . In this case, the gerund acts as a kind of modifier that gives more information about the sentence’s subject. For example:
What is a gerund phrase?
Catherine Traffis. Grammar. 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 does "gerund" mean in English?
Be the best writer in the office. If you look up the definition of gerund (pronounced JER-und), you will find that it means “an English noun formed from a verb by adding -ing”; that is, a present participle used as a noun. Traveling is a good way to expand your worldview. My passion is reading.
What is the gerund phrase for "running with scissors"?
Tim enjoys running with scissors. 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. Tim enjoys racquetball.
What is a dangling gerund?
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.
Why is the gerund phrase dangling?
The gerund phrase is said to be dangling here, because it is mismatched with the subject that follows, creating an illogical scenario. The writer of a such a sentence no doubt intended to convey that when Tim ran with scissors, his cat was injured.
Is "reading" a predicate?
In the second sentence, reading is a predicate nominative, a word (or group of words) that completes a linking verb and renames the subject. The verb is, a form of the linking verb to be, is followed by reading, which renames the subject my passion.
Is gerund a participle?
It’s a Participle Phrase. Gerund phrases can easily be confused with participle phrases. It is possible, for example, to encounter the gerund phrase we 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.
