Understanding Gerunds: The Verb-Noun Chameleon

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• The versatile "-ing" suffix in English boasts an impressive array of functions, serving as both participles and, our main focus today, gerunds. Often overlooked or misunderstood, gerunds add depth and nuance to our language, becoming essential tools for clear communication. Whether you're a seasoned writer or a grammar novice, understanding gerunds unlocks their power to elevate your writing. Let's dive into the world of gerunds and explore how they can elevate your writing!

What's a Gerund?

A gerund is a verb form that ends in "–ing" but functions as a noun in a sentence. While it might look like a present participle (e.g., "running"), a gerund acts like a person, place, or thing. For example:

Verb:

• I love to travel. (Love describes an action)

Gerund:

• Traveling is my passion. ("Traveling" refers to the act of travel itself, acting as the subject)

Gerunds are created by adding the suffix "-ing" to a verb, transforming it into a noun while retaining its action-based meaning. This unique duality allows gerunds to serve various roles in a sentence, acting both as the subject and object.

The rationale behind this fact is that it is only a noun that can replace it. For example, we can replace the noun Music so that we can achieve:

• Music is my leisure.

This word swapping does not change the structure and the function of the sentence. This exposes that both reading and Music are acting as subjects. That is why reading is considered a noun rather than a verb.

The present participle and the perfect participle (but not the past participle) can function as gerunds. However, the more common form of the gerund is the present participle or the –ing form.

Difference Betweeen Gerund and Participle

The difference between a participle and a gerund lies in its function. A participle usually does the work of an adjectiveOpens in new window or adverbOpens in new window:

Participle examples:

• Barking dogs are seldom dangerous. →Adj., modifying the noun “dogs”
• Children spend most of their waking hours playing. →Adv., modifying the verb “spend”

The gerund, on the other hand, does the work of a noun, as we have observed earlier:

Gerund examples:

• The barking of the dog disturbed the neighbours.→subject of the sentence
• Children! Stop playing and go to bed.→object of verb “stop”

Key point: While both gerunds and present participles end in "–ing," they have distinct functions. Present participles typically modify nouns or verbs, while gerunds act as nouns themselves.

The Six Ways of Using Gerunds

Because gerunds and gerundial phrasesOpens in new window are nouns, they can be used in any way that a noun can be usedOpens in new window:

1. Gerund as subject of a sentence

   For example:

   • Being king can be dangerous for your health.
   • Playing basketball takes up too much of her time.

2. Gerund as subject Complement

   For example:

   • Andy’s dream is retiring young.→subject complement of the verb is
   • His major hobby has been fishing. [subject complement of the verb has been]

5. Gerund in place of Infinitive

   Compare the following constructons:

   Infinitive:

   • To give is better than to take.
   • To die is better than to beg.

   Gerund in place of infinitive:

   • Giving is better than taking.
   • Dying is better than begging.

6. Gerund in apposition to a noun

   For example:

   • His crime, forging of bank cheque, was detected by his neighbours.
   • His ambition, becoming a civil servant, could not be fulfilled.

Other Ways to Use Gerunds

Although gerunds are not speaking verbs but they flow within an idea of action, and they can express various shades of time when used with auxiliary verb forms.