Gerunds and Gerund Phrases

A gerund, like the participle, was once a verb and ends in -ing – but never in ed. However, instead of being used like an adjective, the gerund is used like a noun.

So, a gerund ends in -ing and is used like a noun. Examples: Running is my favorite activity. Sailing is a wonderful past time. Notice that “running” and “sailing” were once verbs but here they are talked about as things.

Look at the sentence below. What is the verb? Bob really enjoys cooking.

If you said the verb is cooking – you were wrong! The verb is enjoys. Bob really enjoys cooking. Cooking is the gerund.

Bob really enjoys ___________________. Anything that can be put in this blank will be a noun: books, cars, the ladies, sailboats. These words will be nouns as well in the blank: cooking, cleaning, fishing, kissing.

Here’s some practice. Identify the gerunds. It will help to ask yourself what the verb in the sentence is. Then find what used to be a verb but is now used as a noun. Jennifer hates cleaning. Smoking will not be permitted. Abner increased his spending over the year. Celia wonders what good helping does.

The verbs are: hates, will (not) be, increased, and wonders The gerunds are: cleaning, smoking, spending, and helping.

Now, a gerund phrase is simply a gerund with other words around it (otherwise known as compliments). So, remember this sentence? Bob really enjoys ___________________. We can fill it in with a whole gerund phrase.

Bob really enjoys ___________________. Bob really enjoys cooking food for Sarah. Bob really enjoys sailing the blue Aegean. Bob really enjoys hunting for hippopotamuses.

Here are some more example: Seeing through the blinds was difficult. Swimming to the island was a blast. Jumping over the cliff seemed crazy.

So, let’s quiz your knowledge about gerunds and gerund phrases. Go to the next assignment on Moodle.