Gerunds
Gerunds are words derived from verbs that act as nouns. All gerunds include a verb and -ing. In this lesson, we will learn more about them.
What Are Gerunds?
Gerunds: Form
To create a gerund, simply add '-ing' to the base form of the main verb. For example:
sleep → sleep
work → work
Spelling Rules
Sometimes the spelling of the verb changes when adding '-ing' to form gerunds. The spelling rules that are to be observed when forming gerunds are discussed below.
- If the verb ends in consonant + stressed vowel + consonant, double the final letter before adding '-ing'.
Stop →
Run →
- If the verb ends in consonant + unstressed vowel + consonant, do not double the final letter.
open →
- If the verb ends in 'ie,' change it to 'y' before adding '-ing'.
Lie →
Die →
- If the verb ends in vowel + consonant + 'e', omit the 'e' before adding '-ing'.
Come →
Mistake →
Gerunds: Functions
- The Subject of a Verb
- The Object of a Verb
- Object of a Preposition
- Subject Complement
1. Gerunds as Subjects
Gerunds can serve as the subject of the verb. Look at these examples:
2. Gerunds as Objects
Gerunds can also serve as the objects of the verb. Look at the examples:
I love
I hate
3. Gerunds as Objects of Prepositions
When the gerund appears after a preposition, it serves as the object of preposition. For example:
I'm very good at
I'm afraid of
4. Gerunds as Subject Complements
Gerunds can be used as the subject complement of the linking verb 'be.' For example:
The best thing about my trip to Japan was
A good way to lose weight is
Gerunds vs. Present Participles
Both gerunds and present participles are created from a verb, and both end in –ing. However, they have different functions:
- Gerunds function as nouns
- Present participles function as verbs or adjectives
I was
Review
A gerund is a nominal structure made by adding -ing to the main verb to be used as:
- the subject of a verb
- the object of a verb
- the object of a preposition
- a subject complement
Comments
You might also like
Countable and Uncountable Nouns
It's important to know if a noun is countable or uncountable. This is going to help us to use the correct article. Let's learn more.
Collective Nouns
If we want to represent certain individual nouns as one entity we can make use of collective nouns. In this lesson, you'll learn about their structure and uses.
Possessive Nouns
Possessive structures have many functions like showing ownership or belonging. With the help of apostrophe 's', we can make a possessive noun. Let's start!
Abstract and Concrete Nouns
Based on what we can or cannot perceive with our five senses, we can categorize nouns into two groups: abstract and common nouns. Start learning!
