1. Gerunds

2. 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)

3. 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

4. Gerund Phrases Example: Giving the money proved a mistake.
Giving + What? = money
Money is the direct object of the gerund.

5. 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?

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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:

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. Summary Gerunds always end with –ing Gerunds are always nouns
Gerunds can be
Subjects
Direct objects
Indirect objects
Objects of the prepositions
Predicate nominatives

16. 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