Gerunds in English

The hardest thing about learning English is understanding the gerund.

 1. A gerund is a VERBAL noun made from a verb by adding "-ing." The gerund form of the verb "read" is "reading." You can use a gerund as the subject, the complement, or the object of a sentence.

Gerunds are sometimes called "verbal nouns". It should be noted that many grammarians do not like to use the term "gerund" because there is sometimes no clear difference between a gerund and a present participle.

In English, the gerund is one of the uses of the form of the verb ending in -ing (for details of its formation and spelling, see English verbs). This same verb form has other uses besides the gerund: it can serve as a present participle (used adjectivally or adverbially), and as a pure verbal noun (deverbal noun)
A gerund behaves as a verb within a clause (so that it may be modified by an adverb or have an object); but the resulting clause as a whole (sometimes consisting of only one word, the gerund itself) functions as a noun within the larger sentence.
For example, consider the sentence "Eating this cake is easy." Here the gerund is the verb eating, which takes an object this cake. The entire clause eating this cake is then used as a noun, which in this case serves as the subject of the larger sentence.
An item such as eating this cake in the foregoing example is an example of a non-finite verb phrase; however, because phrases of this type do not require a subject, it is also a complete clause. (Traditionally such an item would be referred to as a phrase, but in modern linguistics it has become common to call it a clause.) A gerund clause such as this is one of the types of non-finite clause.

Formation

A gerund has four forms — two for the active voice and two for the passive:

	Active	Passive
Present or Continuous	Loving	Being loved
Perfect	Having loved	Having been loved

 

Gerunds

When a verb ends in -ing, it may be a present participle or it may be a gerund. It is important to understand that they are not the same.
When we use a verb in -ing form more like a verb or an adjective, it is usually a present participle:

• Anthony is fishing.
• I have a boring teacher.

When we use a verb in -ing form more like a noun, it is usually a gerund:

• Fishing is fun.

In this lesson, we look at how we use gerunds, followed by a quiz to check your understanding:

• Gerund as Subject, Object or Complement
• Gerund after Preposition
• Gerund after Certain Verbs
• Gerund in Passive Sense
• Gerunds Quiz

1. Gerund as Subject, Object or Complement

Try to think of a gerund as a noun in verb form.
Like nouns, gerunds can be the subject, object or complement of a sentence:

• Smoking costs a lot of money.
• I don't like writing.
• My favourite occupation is reading.

But, like verbs, a gerund can also have an object itself. In this case, the whole expression (gerund + object) can be the subject, object or complement of the sentence.

• Smoking cigarettes costs a lot of money.
• I don't like writing letters.
• My favourite occupation is reading detective stories.

Like nouns, we can use gerunds with adjectives (including articles and other determiners):

• pointless questioning
• a settling of debts
• the making of this film
• his drinking of alcohol

When we use a gerund with an article, it does not usually take a direct object:

• a settling of debts (not a settling debts)
• Making this film was expensive.
• The making of this film was expensive.

2. Gerund after Preposition

Here is a good rule. It has no exceptions:
Prepositions are always followed by a noun-phrase.
If we want to use a verb after a preposition, it must be a gerund (which functions as a noun). It is impossible to use an infinitive after a preposition. So, for example, we say:

• I will call you after arriving at the office.
  not I will call after to arrive at the office.
• Please have a drink before leaving.
• I am looking forward to meeting you.
• Do you object to working late?
• Tara always dreams about going on holiday.

Notice that you could replace all the above gerunds with "real" nouns:

• I will call you after my arrival at the office.
• Please have a drink before your departure.
• I am looking forward to our lunch.
• Do you object to this job?
• Tara always dreams about holidays.

The above rule has no exceptions! So in the following sentences why is to followed by "driving" in #1 and by "drive" in #2?

1. I am used to driving on the left.
2. I used to drive on the left.

Answer

In #1 to is a preposition followed by a gerund or noun, as per the rule above:

• I am used to driving on the left.
• I am used to animals.

In #2 to is not a preposition. It is part of the to-infinitive:

• I used to drive on the left
• I used to smoke.

3. Gerund after Certain Verbs

We sometimes use one verb after another verb. Often the second verb is in the to-infinitive form, for example:

• I want to eat.

But sometimes the second verb must be in gerund form, for example:

• I dislike eating.

This depends on the first verb. Here is a list of verbs that are usually followed by a verb in gerund form:

• admit, appreciate, avoid, carry on, consider, defer, delay, deny, detest, dislike, endure, enjoy, escape, excuse, face, feel like, finish, forgive, give up, can't help, imagine, involve, leave off, mention, mind, miss, postpone, practise, put off, report, resent, risk, can't stand, suggest, understand

Look at these examples:

• She is considering having a holiday.
  not She is considering to have a holiday.
• Do you feel like going out?
• I can't help falling in love with you.
• I can't stand not seeing you.

Some verbs can be followed by the gerund form or the to-infinitive form without a big change in meaning: begin, continue, hate, intend, like, love, prefer, propose, start

• I like to play tennis. / I like playing tennis.
• It started to rain. / It started raining.

4. Gerund in Passive Sense

We often use a gerund after the verbs need, require and want.
In this case, the gerund has a passive sense.
Look at these example sentences. Notice that this construction can be in any tense:

• I have three shirts that need washing. (need to be washed)
• I sent it back to the shop because it needed fixing. (needed to be fixed)
• This letter requires signing. (needs to be signed)
• The contract will require signing tomorrow. (will need to be signed)
• The house wants repainting. (needs to be repainted)
• Your hair's wanted cutting for weeks. (has needed to be cut)

Note that the expression "something wants doing" is used more in British English than in American English.

Gerunds Quiz 1. I dislike a) going b) to go c) going/to go --a) goingb) to goc) going/to go to the movies by myself.
2. We started a) eating b) to eat c) eating/to eat --a) eatingb) to eatc) eating/to eat dinner without you.
3. I can't imagine a) buying b) to buy c) buying/to buy --a) buyingb) to buyc) buying/to buy my own house.
4. I used a) watching b) to watch c) watching/to watch --a) watchingb) to watchc) watching/to watch that television show all of the time.
5. I always eat breakfast before a) going b) to go c) going/to go --a) goingb) to goc) going/to go to school.
6. When do you practise a) playing b) to play c) playing/to play --a) playingb) to playc) playing/to play the piano?
7. My grandmother prefers a) reading b) to read c) reading/to read --a) readingb) to readc) reading/to read science fiction books.
8. My teacher said my essay needs a) correcting b) to correct c) corrected --a) correctingb) to correctc) corrected by tomorrow.
9. I am used a) to seeing b) to see c) seeing --a) to seeingb) to seec) seeing her in a bad mood.
10. Our neighbour used a) smoking b) to smoking c) to smoke --a) smokingb) to smokingc) to smoke a pipe.

A gerund can be:

• the subject of the sentence: * Swimming is my favorite sport.
• the object of the sentence: * They enjoy watching movies.
• the object of the preposition He’s concerned about passing Grammar

Note 1: A gerund subject takes a singular verb: * Eating raw oysters is disgusting.

Note 2: To make a gerund negative, put not before it: * Not arriving on time makes me uncomfortable.

Examples of use

The following sentences illustrate some uses of gerund clauses, showing how such a clause serves as a noun within the larger sentence. In some cases the clause consists of just the gerund (although in many such cases the word could equally be analyzed as a pure verbal noun).

• Swimming is fun. (gerund as subject of the sentence)
• I like swimming. (gerund as direct object)
• I never gave swimming all that much effort. (gerund as indirect object)
• Eating biscuits in front of the television is one way to relax. (gerund phrase as subject)
• Do you fancy going out? (gerund phrase as direct object)
• On being elected president, he moved with his family to the capital. (gerund phrase as complement of a preposition)

Using gerunds of the appropriate auxiliary verbs, one can form gerund clauses that express perfect aspect and passive voice:

• Being deceived can make someone feel angry. (passive)
• Having read the book once before makes me more prepared. (perfect)
• He is ashamed of having been gambling all night. (perfect progressive aspect)

For more detail on when it is appropriate to use a gerund, see Verb patterns with the gerund below, and also Uses of English verb forms: Gerund.

Distinction from other uses of the -ing form

Gerunds are distinguished grammatically from other uses of a verb's -ing form: the present participle (which is a non-finite verb form like the gerund, but is adjectival or adverbial in function), and the pure verbal noun or deverbal noun.
The distinction between gerund and present participle is illustrated in the following sentences:

• John suggested asking Bill. (asking Bill is the object of the verb, i.e. a noun, so asking is a gerund)
• I heard John asking Bill. (asking Bill is adjectival, describing John, so asking is a participle)

The distinction between the gerund and the pure verbal (deverbal) noun is that the gerund itself behaves as a verb, forming a verb phrase which is then used as a noun, whereas the pure noun does not in any way behave grammatically as a verb. For example:

• I like playing football. (playing takes an object, so it is a gerund)
• Her playing of the Bach fugues was inspiring. (playing takes a prepositional phrase rather than an object; not a gerund)

For more details and examples of the distinctions introduced here, see -ing: uses.

Gerunds with a specified subject

A gerund cannot take a grammatical subject as a finite verb does. (The -ing verb form can take a subject in nominative absolute constructions such as The day being over, ..., but here it is a present participle rather than a gerund.) Normally the subject of the gerund is considered unspecified, or is understood to be the same as the subject of the main clause: in a sentence like "Meg likes eating apricots", the subject of eating is understood to be the same as the subject of the main clause, namely Meg – what Meg likes is a situation where she herself is eating apricots (see also raising verb). However in other cases it is necessary to specify explicitly who or what is to be understood as the subject of the gerund.
Many prescriptive grammarians prefer the subject of such a gerund to be expressed using the possessive form, since the gerund clause serves as a noun phrase. Hence:

• We enjoyed their singing. (i.e. the singing that was done by them)
• The cat's licking the cream was not generally appreciated. (i.e. the licking that was done by the cat)
• We were delighted at Paul's being awarded the prize. (i.e. the awarding of the prize to Paul)

The above construction is common in formal English; however in informal English it is often more usual to use just the noun or noun phrase (in the objective case, in the case of personal pronouns) to indicate the subject, without any possessive marker.

• We enjoyed them singing.
• The cat licking the cream was not generally appreciated.
• We were delighted at Paul being awarded the prize.

The above usage, though common, is criticized by some prescriptivists, since it apparently places two noun phrases (the agent and the gerund clause) together without any indication of their syntactic relation. It is compared with a superficially identical construction in which the -ing form is a present participle, and it is entirely appropriate for it to be preceded by a noun phrase, since the participial clause can be taken to qualify that noun phrase:

• I saw the cat licking the cream. (i.e. I saw the cat, and the cat was licking the cream)

However others say that it is entirely acceptable to express the subject of the gerund with just the noun or the noun phrase in the nominative case or in the objective case, since the gerund is not a deverbal noun, but a verbal noun, i.e., a normal verb in a dependent noun clause.
The use of a non-possessive noun to precede a gerund is said to arise as a result of confusion with the above usage with a participle, and is thus sometimes called fused participle^[3] or geriple.^[4] This construction represents common informal usage with gerunds; however, if the prescriptive rule is followed, the difference between the two forms may be used to make a slight distinction in meaning:

• The teacher's shouting startled the student. (shouting is a gerund, the shouting startled the student)
• The teacher shouting startled the student. (shouting can be interpreted as a participle, qualifying the teacher; the teacher startled the student by shouting)
• I don't like Jim's drinking wine. (I don't like the drinking)
• I don't like Jim drinking wine. (I don't like Jim when he is drinking wine)

In some cases, particularly with a non-personal subject, the use of the possessive before a gerund may be considered redundant even in quite a formal register. For example, "There is no chance of the snow falling" (rather than the prescriptively correct "There is no chance of the snow's falling").

Verb patterns with the gerund

Verbs that are often followed by a gerund include admit, adore, anticipate, appreciate, avoid, carry on, consider, contemplate, delay, deny, describe, detest, dislike, enjoy, escape, fancy, feel, finish, give, hear, imagine, include, justify, listen to, mention, mind, miss, notice, observe, perceive, postpone, practice, quit, recall, report, resent, resume, risk, see, sense, sleep, stop, suggest, tolerate and watch. Additionally, prepositions are often followed by a gerund.
For example:

• I will never quit smoking.
• We postponed making any decision.
• After two years of analyzing, we finally made a decision.
• We heard whispering.
• They denied having avoided me.
• He talked me into coming to the party.
• They frightened her out of voicing her opinion.

Verbs followed by a gerund or a to-infinitive

With little change in meaning

advise, recommend, forbid:
These are followed by a to-infinitive when there is an object as well, but by a gerund otherwise.

• The police advised us not to enter the building, for a murder had occurred. (Us is the object of advised.)
• The police advised against our entering the building. (Our is used for the gerund entering.)

consider, contemplate, recommend:
These verbs are followed by a to-infinitive only in the passive or with an object pronoun.

• People consider her to be the best. – She is considered to be the best.
• I am considering sleeping over, if you do not mind.

begin, continue, start; hate, like, love, prefer:
With would, the verbs hate, like, love, and prefer are usually followed by the to-infinitive.

• I would like to work there. (more usual than working)

When talking about sports, there is usually a difference in meaning between the infinitive and gerund (see the next section).

With a change in meaning[edit]

like, love, prefer:
In some contexts, following these verbs with a to-infinitive when the subject of the first verb is the subject of the second verb provides more clarity than a gerund.

• I like to box. (I enjoy doing it myself.)
• I like boxing. (Either I enjoy watching it, I enjoy doing it myself, or the idea of boxing is otherwise appealing.)
• I do not like gambling, but I do like to gamble."

dread, hate, cannot bear:
These verbs are followed by a to-infinitive when talking subjunctively (often when using to think), but by a gerund when talking about general dislikes.

• I dread / hate to think what she will do.
• I dread / hate seeing him.
• I cannot bear to see you suffer like this. (You are suffering now.)
• I cannot bear being pushed around in crowds. (I never like that.)

forget, remember:
When these have meanings that are used to talk about the future from the given time, the to-infinitive is used, but when looking back in time, the gerund.

• She forgot to tell me her plans. (She did not tell me, although she should have.)
• She forgot telling me her plans. (She told me, but then forgot having done so.)
• I remembered to go to work. (I remembered that I needed to go to work.)
• I remembered going to work. (I remembered that I went to work.)

go on:

• After winning the semi-finals, he went on to play in the finals. (He completed the semi-finals and later played in the finals.)
• He went on giggling, not having noticed the teacher enter. (He continued doing so.)

mean:

• I did not mean to scare you off. (I did not intend to scare you off.)
• Taking a new job in the city meant leaving behind her familiar surroundings. (If she took the job, she would have to leave behind her familiar surroundings.)

regret:

• We regret to inform you that you have failed your exam. (polite or formal form of apology)
• I very much regret saying what I said. (I wish that I had not said that.)

try:
When a to-infinitive is used, the subject is shown to make an effort at something, attempt or endeavor to do something. If a gerund is used, the subject is shown to attempt to do something in testing to see what might happen.

• Please try to remember to post my letter.
• I have tried being stern, but to no avail.

stop, quit:
When the infinitive is used after 'stop' or 'quit', it means that the subject stops one activity and starts the activity indicated by the infinitive. If the gerund is used, it means that the subject stops the activity indicated by the gerund.

• She stopped to smell the flowers.
• She stopped smelling the flowers.

Or more concisely:

• She stopped walking to smell the flowers.

• He quit working there to travel abroad.

GERUND EXAMPLES

1. As subject of the sentence:

* Smoking is one of the worst things you can do for your health. 
* Reading helps you learn English.
* Studying online is very convenient.
* Working from home allows a person to work in confort.
* Using online practices helps students who don't have books.
* Getting a good job is not easy.
* Learning about other cultures makes people more tolerant.
* Learning about other cultures makes people more tolerant.
* Making fun of other people is not nice.
* Eating fruits and vegetables is good for your health. 
* Working overtime is quite common in this company.
* Driving becomes more and more expensive.
* Finding a parking space is quite difficult in this area.
* Cycling is fun.
* Cooking is one of her hobbies.

1.1 Making the negative of a gerund (as subject)

Gerunds can be made negative by adding "not."

• He enjoys not working.
• The best thing for your health is not smoking.

* No smoking in this área. 
* Not smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health. 
* Not drinking alcohol is good for your health. 
* Not doing the homework will result in a lower grade. 
* Not using your seat belt is dangerous.

Both gerunds and infinitives can be used as the subject or the complement of a sentence. However, as subjects or complements, gerunds usually sound more like normal, spoken English, whereas infinitives sound more abstract. In the following sentences, gerunds sound more natural and would be more common in everyday English. Infinitives emphasize the possibility or potential for something and sound more philosophical. If this sounds confusing, just remember that 90% of the time, you will use a gerund as the subject or complement of a sentence.

Examples:

• Learning is important. normal subject
• To learn is important. abstract subject - less common
• The most important thing is learning. normal complement
• The most important thing is to learn. abstract complement - less common.

 

Borrowings of English gerunds in other languages

English verb forms ending in -ing are sometimes borrowed into other languages. In some cases they become pseudo-anglicisms, taking on new meanings or uses which are not found in English. For instance, camping means "campsite" in many languages, while parking often means a car park.

camping means "campsite" in many languages (including Dutch, French, Greek, Italian, Russian, and Spanish);

parking means "car park" or "parking lot" in many languages (including  Dutch, French, Polish, Russian, and Spanish);

lifting means "facelift" in many languages (including, French, German, Italian, Polish, Hebrew, and Spanish);

shopping means "shopping mall" in Portuguese

footing has been used to mean "jogging" in some languages (including French and Italian).