Verbal Nouns 

Dive deep into verbal nouns with detailed explanations. Examples include 'running' and 'dancing', plus a quiz to test your knowledge.

"Verbal Nouns" in English Grammar

What Are Verbal Nouns?

Verbal nouns are nouns that are derived from verbs, commonly by adding the suffix "-ing," which have acquired pure noun properties.

Verbal Nouns: Form

Verbal nouns are formed by adding the suffix "-ing" to the end of verbs. For example:

Example

Meeting = Meet + -ing

Building = Build + -ing

Feeling = Feel + -ing

Verbal Nouns: Properties

Verbal nouns have all the properties of a normal noun. They can be modified by articles and adjectives, and can be pluralized. Since they have lost all their verbal properties, they cannot take objects, instead prepositional phrases modify them. Here are some examples:
.

Example

The tall building stood in the middle of a garden.

Verbal nouns can take articles and adjectives.

He tried to find a way to deal with his feelings of betrayal and disappointment.

Verbal nouns can be pluralized.

Her reading of the text included some insightful observations.

Verbal nouns can be modified by prepositional phrases.

Verbal Nouns: Uses

Verbal nouns can be used to represent the process and result of an action, as well as events and states. For example:

Example

The shooting continued.

process

A rare recording was found in the historic library.

result

The wedding was so fun.

event

They had reached a mutual understanding of the situation.

state

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Verbal Nouns vs. Gerunds

Verbal nouns and gerunds, although similar in form, have different properties. While gerunds keep some of their verbal properties, verbal nouns are independent of their verb forms; in other words, they have become pure nouns and have separate entries in dictionaries. We can say verbal nouns are a more limited group of gerunds with special properties. Compare the examples:

Example

The painting is beautiful.

a verbal noun has an independent meaning

Painting is my favorite hobby.

a gerund is semantically connected with the root verb from which it is derived

Review

Verbal nouns are derived from verbs but have purely nominal characteristics, including:

Common ways of making verbal nouns

taking articles

the painting

taking adjectives

beautiful painting

becoming plural

paintings

modified by prepositional phrases

painting of a woman with pearl earrings

Comments

(3)
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Paul Quinton
May 2024
There are problems with the definition of a verbal noun: The verbal noun is modified by an adjective: "The careful writing (verbal noun) of the contract took a long time" as compared to gerunds that are modified by adverbs: "Carefully writing the contract will save a lot of arguments."
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Mar 2024
Hi team, can you help verify on the correct order for manner - place - time - date in a sentence? Your last example "I swim every day in the swimming pool." seems to deviate from what I know of: I swim in the swimming pool every day. Another example which I come across is " I plan to meet John at the lobby at 5 P.M this Sunday.
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Langeek
Mar 2024
Thanks for the feedback! We fixed it.
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