GERUND -Learning English-

LEARNING  ENGLISH

Gerunds

            Gerunds are –ing forms of the verb that are used as mouns. Gerunds name actions that are nouns.

            SUBJECT       : Learning the new bus schedule is easy.

                                    : Making new friends can be difficult.

            PREDICATE NOMINATIVE

                                    : My student job this year is working in the library.

                                    : Paul’s favorite sport is running.

            DIRECT OBJECT

                                    : Paul likes running.

                                    : Jim enjoys playing golf.

            OBJECT OF A PREPOSITION

                                    : Paul likes most sports except fishing.

                                    : Some people are afraid of speaking in public.

            OBJECTIVE COMPLEMENT

                                    : The police officer considered the offense speeding.

                                    : The teacher called the children’s play learning.

Although gerunds are used in a clause as mouns, they keep the qualities of verbs. Gerunds can be followed by direct objects, indirect objects, adverb modifiers, and predicate adjectives if their meaning allows these constructions.

            GERUND FOLLOWED BY DIRECT OBJECT:

            Gerund                     direct objects

            Learning the new bus schedule is easy.

            Making                 new friends can be difficult.

Note: When as article or an adjective modifiers the gerund, the gerund is followed by a prepositional phrase instead of by a direct objects.

            MODIFIERS BEFORE A GERUND:

            Modifier        gerund            prepositional phrase

            Constant      learning            of new bus schedule is annoying.

            The             building             of a lasting friendship can take a long time.

            GERUND FOLLOWED BY INDIRECT OBJECT:

                      Indirect objects

            Giving       Jim           new golf clubs would please him.

            Buying      Paula         new shoes is expensive.

            GERUND FOLLOWED BY ADVERB MODIFIER:

                          Adverb modifier

            Learning       quickly       is easier for Pat than for Steve.

            Eating             fast          is bad for the digestion.

            GERUND FOLLOWED BY PREDICATE ADJECTIVE:

            Predicate adjective

            Feeling happy      makes Ray sing.

            Being kind           can be difficult.

Use a possesive pronoun before a gerund. Using an object form of the pronoun changes the meaning and emphasis of the sentence. Use an object pronoun if the –ing form is a participle that modifies the pronoun.

            OBJECT PRONOUN FOLLOWED BY PARTICIPLE:

            We heard the dog barking.

            We heard it barking. (emphasis on it-barking modifies it)

            We saw John sleeping.

            We saw him sleeping. (emphasis on him-sleeping modifies him)

            POSSESIVE PRONOUN FOLLOWED BY GERUND:

            We heard the dog’s barking.

            We heard its barking. (emphasis on barking-its modifies barking)

            We were annoyed by John’s sleeping.

            We were annoyed by his sleeping. (emphasis om sleeping-his modifies sleeping)

Many compound nouns are made from a gerund and another noun. They usually show the purpose to which the head noun is put.

            A drinking fountain-a fountain drinking

            An ironing board-a board ironing

            A parking lot-a lot parking

A swimming pool-a pool swimming

Source: Reference Guide to English (A Handbook of English as a Second Language) written by Alice Maclin.