ENGLISH LANGUAGE

By
Second Stage / Department of Aeronautical Engineering Asst. Lect. Mohammed Layth
A Faculty member at The College
The Academic Year (2023 - 2024) of Engineering, University of
Baghdad
Gerund, Form and Examples
A gerund is a word like “swimming” in the sentence “I have
always enjoyed swimming.” The term refers to the “-ing”
form of a verb when it functions as a noun.
A gerund usually refers in a general way to the activity
represented by the verb it’s derived from.
Above, “swimming” means the activity of swimming in
general, not a specific instance of swimming.
How are gerunds used in sentences?
A gerund is used in the same way as other types of
nouns.
That means it can serve as the subject of a sentence,
followed by a verb; as a direct object (thing directly
acted on by a verb) or indirect object (thing that
receives the direct object); or as a subject
complement (joined to the subject by a linking verb).
Present Participle Vs. Gerund
Gerunds are always identical to present participles, which
are also formed by adding “-ing” to the infinitive form of a
verb.
The difference concerns the role the words play in
sentences:
Gerunds are used as nouns.
Present participles are used as adjectives and to form
the continuous verb tenses.
Present Participle Vs. Gerund

Crying is a cathartic way to release negative emotions.

(Gerund)

I had to help a crying girl who had lost her mother. She
had been crying for a little while. (Adjective, V-ing to form
continuous)
Terms
Annual inspection = A nose-to-tail inspection of an aircraft
that is required every 12 months.
Cargo = Goods carried on an airplane.
Yoke = The control wheel of an aircraft, similar to a car
steering wheel.
Propeller = A rotating piece powered by the engine that
produces thrust to propel the airplane through the air.
Terms
Glider = A light aircraft that is designed to fly for long
periods without using an engine.
Groundspeed = The horizontal speed that an aircraft
travels over the ground.