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English/Grammar/Gerunds

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English Wikibook (edit)
General: Introduction - Grammar
Parts of speech: Nouns - Verbs - Adjectives - Adverbs - Pronouns - Conjunctions - Prepositions - Interjections
Parts of the sentence: Subjects - Predicates
Word functions: Subjects - Predicates - Direct Objects - Indirect Objects - Objects of the Preposition
Types of sentences: Simple Sentences - Complex Sentences
Types of Phrases: Adjective - Adverb - Noun
Types of Clauses: Adjective - Adverb - Noun
Other English topics: Gerunds - Idiomatic Phrases - Spelling - Vocabulary - Punctuation - Syntax - Appositives - Phonics - Pronunciation

Gerunds are verbs which perform the function of a noun. In other words, they are verbal-nouns. That is, they act as verbs as well as nouns. They end in "-ing".

  • For example: "Swimming is a good exercise."
  • Here, "swimming" is the subject of the verb is.
  • Swimming is a verb; the present participle of swim. Here, it is the subject of a sentence and it can be called a noun. So, swimming is a gerund.
  • Examples:
    • "Fishing was his favorite pastime."
    • "The rustling of cloth made him turn."

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