Gerunds

Gerunds
Gerunds always end in ing

They are used in the sentence as

nouns and in every way that any other
noun can be used:
Swimming is a good exercise. (subject)
Jane does not enjoy cooking. (direct
object)
After eating, relax for a while. (object of
preposition)
 Gerund Phrases
Like participles, gerunds can have a
direct object.
To find out whether or not the gerund
has a direct object, begin with the
gerund and ask the following question:

Gerund + whom/what? = direct

object
 Gerund Phrases
Example:
Giving the money proved a mistake.

Giving + What? = money

Money is the direct object of the

gerund.
 Gerund Phrases
Gerund phrases can also have
indirect objects:

To find out whether or not the

gerund phrase has an indirect object,
begin with the gerund, locate the
direct object, then ask the question
to/for whom/what?
 Gerund Phrase
Example:
Giving Jerry the money proved a
mistake.
Giving + what = money (direct
object)

Giving money to/for whom? =

Jerry
Jerry is the indirect object of the
gerund phrase.
 Gerund Phrases
Gerund phrases can also have
prepositional phrases in them:

Giving Jerry the money on Friday

night proved a major mistake.

Since on Friday night tells when?

The prepositional phrase functions as
an adverb. It completes the gerund
phrase.
 Gerunds
Gerunds end in ing

Gerunds are nouns.

To find out how they function as a noun,

isolate the gerund or gerund phrase,
locate the main verb in the sentence
and the main direct object (if there is
one). Ask the following question:
Key Questions to Determine Noun
Functions in Gerunds
What? + the main verb = subject
Example:
Giving Jerry the money on Friday night
proved a major mistake.
Proved is the main verb. Mistake is the
direct object.
What? + Proved a mistake=Giving
Jerry the money
The gerund phrase is the subject of the
main sentence.
Key Questions to Determine Noun
Functions in Gerunds
Subject + verb + what? = direct object

We cant afford making the same mistake.

We + can afford + What? = direct

object
Answer:

Making the same mistake is the direct

object of the sentence.
Key Questions to Determine Noun
Functions in Gerunds
Preposition + gerund phrase =
Object of the Preposition
Example:
After waiting patiently for an hour
Bill left the office.
Waiting patiently for an hour
functions as the object of the
preposition.
Key Questions to Determine Noun
Functions in Gerunds
Subject + verb + direct object +
to/for what? = indirect object
The tribe gave naming their children
extreme importance.
Tribe gave importance to what? =
naming their children
Naming their children functions as
the indirect object of the sentence.
Key Questions to Determine Noun
Functions in Gerunds
Subject + Linking verb + what? =
Predicate nominative
His hobby is collecting stamps.
His mother is driving a car.
Note: since the subject hobby cannot do
the action of the verb (collect), collecting
is a gerund.
Collecting stamps becomes the gerund
phrase and it functions as predicate
nominative.
 Summary of Noun Functions
What? + main verb = subject
Subject + verb + what = direct
object
Subject + Linking verb + what =
predicate nominative
Subject + verb + Direct Object +
to/for what? = indirect object
Preposition + gerund phrase =
object of the preposition.
 Summary
Gerunds always end with ing
Gerunds are always nouns
Gerunds can be
Subjects
Direct objects
Indirect objects
Objects of the prepositions
Predicate nominatives
 Note
Ask the key questions:
What + the verb = subject
Subject + verb + what = Direct object
Subject + linking verb + what =
Predicate nominative
Subject + verb + direct object + to/for
what = indirect object
Preposition + gerund = object of the
preposition