Language of the Day: Gerunds
Gerunds are deceptively simple, but for English learners, mastering gerunds means understanding how they function, how they differ from similar structures, and how they appear in complex sentences. Let’s explore gerunds in depth.
🔍 What Is a Gerund?
A gerund is the -ing form of a verb that functions as a noun. This means it can act as a subject, object, or complement in a sentence.
Examples:
Writing requires discipline.
She enjoys traveling.
His favorite activity is painting.
Note: Although gerunds look identical to present participles (e.g., She is painting), their grammatical function is different. Gerunds are nouns, while participles are verbs or adjectives.
🧠 Gerunds in Sentence Structure
1. Gerunds as Subjects
Gerunds can serve as the subject of a sentence, often followed by a verb.
Reading improves your vocabulary.
Jogging every morning keeps me energized.
2. Gerunds as Objects
Gerunds frequently appear as the object of certain verbs.
Verbs commonly followed by gerunds:
admit, avoid, consider, deny, enjoy, finish, imagine, mind, miss, postpone, practice, suggest
Examples:
He denied cheating on the exam.
We consider moving to Toronto.
3. Gerunds After Prepositions
Gerunds must follow prepositions, not infinitives.
Examples:
She’s interested in learning French.
They left without saying goodbye.
4. Gerund Phrases
A gerund can be part of a gerund phrase, which includes the gerund and its modifiers or objects.
Examples:
Taking long walks in the evening helps me relax.
Watching documentaries about history is one of his hobbies.
⚖️ Gerunds vs. Infinitives
Some verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive, but the meaning may change.
Example:
Stop smoking = quit the habit
Stop to smoke = pause another activity in order to smoke
Other verbs that change meaning depending on the form:
remember, forget, regret, try, go on
🧩 Advanced Usage: Gerunds in Formal and Academic Writing
Gerunds are common in nominalization, which is useful in academic writing to make sentences more formal and concise.
Example:
Original: When people use smartphones excessively, it affects their sleep.
Nominalized: Excessive smartphone use affects sleep.
Here, use is a gerund derived from the verb to use.
🧠 Quiz: Challenge Your Gerund Knowledge
Choose the best answer or complete the sentence.
1. Which sentence uses a gerund phrase as the subject?
a) She likes swimming.
b) Swimming in cold water is refreshing.
c) They are swimming now.
2. Identify the gerund in this sentence:
He avoided answering the question directly.
a) avoided
b) answering
c) directly
3. Which sentence shows a change in meaning between gerund and infinitive?
a) I stopped to eat lunch.
b) I stopped eating lunch.
c) Both a and b
4. Choose the correct sentence:
a) She suggested to go to the museum.
b) She suggested going to the museum.
c) She suggested go to the museum.
5. Which of the following is a gerund phrase?
a) To read books
b) Reading books quietly
c) Read books quietly
-
b) Swimming in cold water is refreshing
b) answering
c) Both a and b
b) She suggested going to the museum
b) Reading books quietly