Gerunds

Ariel Gonzalez
Student Number
845-10-3164
 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 can’t 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
Subject + verb + direct object +
to/for what/whom? = 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
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 + 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 + verb + direct object +
to/for what? = indirect object
Preposition + gerund phrase =
object of the preposition
Subject + linking verb + what =
predicate nominative
 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/who = direct
object
– Subject + verb + direct object +
to/for what = indirect object
– Preposition + gerund = object of the
preposition
– Subject + linking verb + what =
predicate nominative
 THANK YOU
GERUNDS AND THEIR
FUNCTIONS