1. Kansas Writing System Fundamentals in the Sentence Writing Strategy
Meet the Imposters: Infinitives, Prepositions, & Gerunds by Jan b. Sheldon and Jean B. schumaker
Kansas Writing System
Fundamentals in the Sentence Writing Strategy

2. WHAT ARE IMPOSTERS?
Imposters like to play tricks on you. They are words that look like one part of speech but behave like another.
Imposters are PIGs:
Prepositions
Infinitives
Gerunds

3. LETS START WITH INFINITIVES
An infinitive is made up of two words: the word “to” and a verb
Examples:
to sing
to paint
to want
to run

4. INFINITIVES The infinitive is NEVER THE MAIN VERB.
Instead, it follows the main verb, and acts like a subject complement.

5. See if you can find the infinitives in these sentences:
Do you like to pretend?
Inf S V
Many people try to trick others. S V
Inf
It is fun to wear costumes.
Always mark imposters like infinitives first. That way they can’t fool you.

6. NOW LETS LOOK AT PREPOSITIONS
A preposition shows the relationship of the subject to the rest of the sentence.
What kind of relationships? Prepositions answer the questions:
who
when
where
how

7. STILL CONFUSED? HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES:
Prepositions answer the question “WHO”.
Marge is married to Homer.
“to” is the preposition
because it tells you WHO
Marge is married to.
“to Homer” is the
PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE to

8. STILL CONFUSED? HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES:
Prepositions answer the question “WHERE”.
The Simpsons are in the sleigh.
“in” is the preposition
because it tells you
WHERE the Simpsons are
“in the sleigh” is the
PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE in

9. STILL CONFUSED? HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES:
Prepositions answer the question “WHEN”.
Homer ate the doughnut before dinner.
“before” is the preposition
because it tells you
WHEN the Homer ate
“before dinner” is the
PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE
before

10. STILL CONFUSED? HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES:
Prepositions answer the question “HOW”.
Lisa is dressed like an angel.
“like” is the preposition
because it tells you
HOW Lisa is dressed
“like an angel” is the
PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE
like

11. A BEE FLIES __________ HOMER.
behind
around
into
inside
beside
before
under

12. Lets Practice: Bart is painting on the wall.
Maggie is playing with her toys. on
with

13. NOW LETS LOOK AT GERUNDS:
Gerunds aren’t as creepy and spooky as you think. To turn a verb into a gerund just add “ing”.
When verbs become
gerunds they pretend to
be nouns.

14. NOW LETS LOOK AT GERUNDS:
When gerunds pretend to be nouns they can do anything a noun can do.
That means they can be:
subjects
subject complements
direct objects
indirect objects, and
objects of prepositions.

15. DOH! THAT SOUNDS CONFUSING
Don’t worry Homer. We are going to practice with all the things a gerund can pretend to be.
Let’s start with the verb swim. To turn it into a gerund add “ing”.
Now we have the gerund swimming.

16. A gerund can be the subject of a sentence.
Swimming
Swimming is one of the Simpson family’s favorite activities.
Swimming is a gerund because it is a verb with “ing” pretending to be a noun.
It replaces a noun as the subject of the verb is.

17. A gerund can be the subject complement of a sentence.
One of baby Maggie’s first sports is swimming.
Swimming replaces a noun as the subject complement of the subject sports.
swimming.

18. A gerund can be the direct object of a sentence.
swimming
Bart enjoys swimming as much as skateboarding.
Swimming replaces a noun as the direct object of the verb “enjoys”.

19. A gerund can be the indirect object of a sentence.
Lisa gives swimming a lot of time and energy.
Swimming is the indirect object of the verb gives.
swimming

20. A gerund can be the object of a preposition.
Homer uses an inner tube for swimming.
Swimming is the object of the preposition “for”.
swimming.

21. D’OH! This is confusing!
Don’t worry Homer. Just remember the two rules for a gerund:
A gerund ALWAYS ends in “ing”
A gerund is ALWAYS a verb that is pretending to be a noun.
Lets practice:

22. Find the gerund in each sentence and mark it with G.V
G-DO
Lisa likes playing the saxaphone.
“playing” is the direct object
of the verb “likes”
She is skilled at reading music.
“reading” is the object of the preposition “at” S V SC Pr
G-PrO

23. Find the gerund in each sentence and mark it with G.V
G-SC
Inf
----S-----
Bart and Lisa are pretending to be dogs.
“pretending” is the subject complement of the verb “are”.
Their barking sounds silly.
“barking” is the subject of the sentence V SC
G-S