Why Practical Use of Gerund is So Important in Writing and Developing Good Flow Contents? Discover Apply and Succeed!!

Abstract:

Gerunds are useful ways to add specific, concrete information to your writing that will allow your readers to better understand the points or ideas you are describing. Gerunds can work as direct objects in a sentence. Direct objects are words or phrases that receive the actions performed by the verb.

Keywords

Gerund, Practical Use of Gerund, Subject, Object, Proposition, Property 

Learning Outcomes 

After undergoing this article you will be able to understand the following 

1. What Is a Gerund? – Meaning and Definition

2. Forming a Gerund – Points to Keep in Mind

3. How to Use Gerunds in a Sentence?

4. Examples of Gerunds

5. Types of Gerund 

6. Conclusions 

7. Frequently Asked Questions on Gerunds in English Grammar

8. References

1. What is a gerund?

A gerund is a verb that functions as a noun, rather than an action, as most verbs do. While verbs are words that describe actions or states of being, and nouns are words that refer to a person, place, or thing, gerunds are often used to discuss ideas or concepts rather than specific actions.

Gerunds are easy to identify because they always end in -ing. Here are some examples of gerunds used in sentences:

• Hiking is my favorite pastime.

In the above sentence, hiking is the gerund.

• My son loves napping.

In the above sentence, napping is the gerund.

How to use a gerund

In a sentence, a gerund can serve as:

• The subject
• The direct object
• The indirect object
• The subject complement
• The object complement
• The object of preposition

Here’s an example of a gerund as the subject of a sentence:

• Cooking is my biggest challenge.

Here’s an example of a gerund used as the direct object:

• Her father enjoys reading.

As a reminder, the direct object answers who or what and receives the action. In this case, reading answers what her father enjoys doing.

Here’s an example of a gerund being used as the indirect object:

• The music instructor taught the students singing.

As a reminder, the indirect object is what receives the direct object. In this case, the students are the direct object.

Here’s an example of a gerund being used as the subject complement of a sentence:

• My latest passion is singing.

As a reminder, subject complements come after linking verbs (like is, are, was, and can be) and describe the subject.

Here’s an example of a gerund being used as the object complement:

• Nisha stopped coaching last month.

Object complements describe or rename the direct object. In this case, Nisha is the direct object.

Here’s an example of a gerund being used as the object of preposition:

• She wanted to learn more about driving a car with manual transmission.

As a reminder, the object of preposition is the word or phrase that comes after a preposition. In this sentence, “driving” is the gerund and object of a preposition.

2. Forming a Gerund – Points to Keep in Mind

POINTS TO REMEMBER:

1. A gerund is a verbal ending in -ing that is used as a noun.
2. A gerund phrase consists of a gerund plus modifier(s), object(s), and/or complement(s).
3. Gerunds and gerund phrases virtually never require punctuation.

3. How to Use Gerunds in a Sentence?

Just like nouns and noun phrases, gerunds and gerund phrases can be used as objects in sentences/clauses. They can be used as both direct objects as well as objects of prepositions: Gerund as a direct object: Nisha has mastered fencing. Gerund phrase as a direct object: They hate mowing the lawn.

4. Examples of Gerunds

Some common verbs followed by a gerund:

acknowledge	She acknowledged receiving assistance.
	goods.
admit	They admitted falsifying the data.
advise	The author advises undertaking further study.
anticipate	He anticipates having trouble with his supervisor.
appreciate	I appreciated having a chance to read your draft.
avoid	He avoided answering my question.
complete	I finally completed writing my thesis.
consider	They will consider granting you money.
defer	She deferred writing her report.
delay	We delayed reporting the results until we were sure.
deny	They denied copying the information.
discuss	They discussed running the experiments again.
entail	This review procedure entails repeating the test.
involve	This procedure involves testing each sample twice.
justify	My results justify taking drastic action.
mention	The author mentions seeing this event
postpone	The committee has postponed writing the report.
recall	I cannot recall getting those results before.
resent	He resented spending so much time on the project.
recommend	She recommends reading Marx.
resist	The writer resists giving any easy answers.
risk	She risks losing her viewing time.
sanction	They will not sanction copying without permission.
suggest	I suggest repeating the experiment.
tolerate	She can’t tolerate waiting for results.

Some common verbs followed by an infinitive:

afford	We cannot afford to hesitate.
agree	The professors agreed to disagree.
appear	The results appear to support your theory.
arrange	They had arranged to meet at noon.
beg	I beg to differ with you.
care	Would you care to respond?
claim	She claims to have new data.
consent	Will you consent to run for office?
decide	When did he decide to withdraw?
demand	I demand to see the results of the survey.
deserve	She deserves to have a fair hearing.
expect	The committee expects to decide by tomorrow.
fail	The trial failed to confirm his hypothesis.
hesitate	I hesitate to try the experiment again.
hope	What do you hope to accomplish?
learn	We have learned to proceed with caution.
manage	How did she manage to find the solution?
neglect	The author neglected to provide an index.
need	Do we need to find new subjects?
offer	We could offer to change the time of the meeting.
plan	They had planned to attend the conference.
prepare	He was not prepared to give a lecture.
pretend	I do not pretend to know the answer.
promise	They promise to demonstrate the new equipment.
refuse	She refused to cooperate any longer.
seem	Something seems to be wrong with your design.
struggle	We struggled to understand her point of view.
swear	He swears to tell the truth.
threaten	The team threatened to stop their research.
volunteer	Will you volunteer to lead the group?
wait	We could not wait to hear the outcome.
want	She did not want to go first.
wish	Do you wish to participate?

Following a preposition

Gerunds can follow a preposition; infinitives cannot.

Can you touch your toes without bending your knees?

He was fined for driving over the speed limit.

She got the money by selling the car.

A corkscrew is a tool for taking corks out of bottles.

Following an indirect object (infinitive only)

Some verbs are followed by a pronoun or noun referring to a person, and then an infinitive. Gerunds cannot be used in this position.

Some common verbs followed by an indirect object plus an infinitive:

ask	I must ask you to reconsider your statement.
beg	They begged her to stay for another term.
cause	His findings caused him to investigate further.
challenge	Wilkins challenged Watson to continue the research.
convince	Can we convince them to fund our study?
encourage	She encouraged him to look beyond the obvious.
expect	They did not expect us to win an award.
forbid	The author forbade me to change his wording.
force	They cannot force her to reveal her sources.
hire	Did the department hire him to teach the new course?
instruct	I will instruct her to prepare a handout.
invite	We invite you to attend the ceremony.
need	They need her to show the slides.
order	He ordered the group to leave the building.
persuade	Can we persuade you to contribute again?
remind	Please remind him to check the references.
require	They will require you to submit an outline.
teach	We should teach them to follow standard procedures.
tell	Did she tell him to make three copies?
urge	I urge you to read the instructions before you begin.
want	I do not want you to have an accident.
warn Types of Gerunds:  Gerunds, as verb forms functioning as nouns, exhibit a variety of types that reflect the different roles they can play in a sentence. In your pursuit of mastering the English language, knowing the various types of gerunds and their usage is imperative.  Subject Gerunds: an easy guide to their use Subject gerunds are formed by adding the suffix “-ing” to a verb, transforming it into a noun form that represents an action or activity. Here are some gerunds examples of subject gerunds in sentences: Running is a great way to stay fit. Singing brings joy to many people. Learning a new language can be challenging. In these examples, the gerunds “running,” “singing,” and “learning” act as the subjects of the sentences.  Object Gerunds: how to use them? Among the types of gerunds, there are Object gerunds formed by adding the suffix “-ing” to a verb, transforming it into a noun form that represents an action or activity. Here are some gerunds examples of object gerunds as direct and indirect objects: Direct Object Gerunds: Direct object gerunds receive the direct action of a transitive verb. They answer “what” or “whom” after the verb. Examples include: She enjoys reading novels. They appreciate his cooking skills. He hates doing household chores. Indirect Object Gerunds: Indirect object gerunds receive the action indirectly, often through a preposition or verb construction. They answer the question “to/for whom” or “to/for what” after the verb. Examples include: He gave her credit for organising the event. They offered assistance to those in need. I sent a letter to express my gratitude. Complement Gerunds: simple definition and examples Complement gerunds, also part of types of gerunds, function as noun forms of verbs that complement or complete the meaning of certain linking verbs. Linking verbs, such as “be,” “become,” or “seem,” connect the subject of a sentence to additional information or qualities.  With “be”: Her passion is dancing. Modifier Gerunds: explanation with examples Modifier gerunds act as adjectives, modifying or describing nouns within a sentence. Modifier gerunds can provide information about the noun’s purpose, action, or characteristic. Examples of modifier gerunds used to modify nouns: Modifying Nouns: The running water is refreshing. I bought a painting depicting a beautiful sunset. Gerunds in Prepositional Phrases: their use in expressing location, time, or purpose in sentences Gerunds in prepositional phrases help convey information about the location, time, or purpose associated with an action or activity. Here are some examples: Expressing Location: She sat on the bench, watching the sunset. Possessive Gerunds: uses and examples Possessive gerunds are formed by adding the possessive form (‘s or ‘) to the gerund. The possessive form indicates that the noun or pronoun before the gerund possesses or is associated with the action expressed by the gerund.  John’s singing captivated the audience. Combining Verb-Nouns and Possessive Forms Possessive gerunds combine verb nouns with possessive forms to express possession or association. The possessive form (‘s or’) is added to the gerund, indicating that the action or activity belongs to or is connected to the preceding noun or pronoun.  For example: John’s singing captivated the audience. Gerunds as Objects of Prepositions Gerunds can also function as objects of prepositions, indicating relationships and connections within a sentence. Prepositions are words that express relationships between different elements in a sentence. When gerunds follow prepositions, they provide additional information and clarify the nature of the described relationship or connection. Examples: He succeeded by working hard Gerunds in Phrasal Verbs:  Gerunds can be used as objects of phrasal verbs, creating idiomatic expressions that go beyond the literal meaning of the verb.  Let’s look at some examples: He ended up quitting his job. 6. Conclusions  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 7. Frequently Asked Questions on Gerunds in English Grammar What are the 4 rules of gerunds? Here is the list of rules for making a verb into a gerund: You have the option to add the “ing” at the end of the verb and make it a gerund. ... Remove the “e” from the verb where it comes at the end and add the “ing.” ... Eliminate the “ie” from the verb where it comes at an end and add the “y” and then “ing.” How do I identify a gerund? A gerund is a verbal that ends in -ing and functions as a noun. The term verbal indicates that a gerund, like the other two kinds of verbals, is based on a verb and therefore expresses action or a state of being. 8. References Seller Image English Grammar in Use - Practical Exercises : Gerunds and Infinitives Smutek, Leszek; Stefanowicz-kocol, Anna ISBN 13: 9781481982122 Seller: GreatBookPrices, Columbia, MD, U.S.A.  Used - Softcover English Gerunds and Infinitives for ESL Learners; Using Gerunds and... Thomas Celentano, Thomas Celentano ISBN 13: 9798695338676 Seller: GreatBookPrices, Columbia, MD, U.S.A.  Used - Softcover Condition: As New	Why didn’t they warn me to turn down the heat ?