Importance of Gerund in English Language
IMPORTANCE OF GERUND The Gerund:
Gerunds are funny — they look like verbs, they sound like verbs, but they’re not verbs — they’re nouns! SpSpecificallyecifically, gerunds are action-oriented verbs that function as nouns. This always has the same function as a noun (although it looks like a verb), so it can be used:
As the subject of the sentence:
Eating people is wrong.
After prepositions:
Can you sneeze without opening your mouth?
She is good at painting
After certain verbs,
e.g. like, hate, admit, imagine
In compound nouns,
e.g. a driving lesson, a swimming pool, bird-watching, train-spotting
What's the difference between a Gerund and a Participle?
A Gerund is a verb form used as a noun whilst a Participle is a verb form used as an adjective.
Gerund
: A verbal noun in Latin that expresses generalized or uncompleted action
: Any of several linguistic forms analogous to the Latin gerund in languages other than Latin; especially : the English verbal noun in -ing that has the function of a substantive and at the same time shows the verbal features of tense, voice, and capacity to take adverbial qualifiers and to govern objects
: A Gerund is a verb and noun combined. eg: "I think of retiring soon from business."
Retiring is a verb, being part of the verb retire. It is also a noun, because it is object to the preposition 'of. Participle a word having the characteristics of both verb and adjective; especially : an English verbal form that has the function of an adjective and at the same time shows such verbal features as tense and voice and capacity to take an object
: A Participle is a verb and adjective combined. eg: "A retired officer lives next door." or "She was killed by a falling tile."
Retired is a verb, being part of the verb to retire. It is also an adjective, because it qualifies the noun 'officer'. Falling is a verb, since it is part of the verb to fall, but it is also an adjective in that it qualifies the noun 'tile'.
Gerunds are funny — they look like verbs, they sound like verbs, but they’re not verbs — they’re nouns! SpSpecificallyecifically, gerunds are action-oriented verbs that function as nouns. This always has the same function as a noun (although it looks like a verb), so it can be used:
As the subject of the sentence:
Eating people is wrong.
After prepositions:
Can you sneeze without opening your mouth?
She is good at painting
After certain verbs,
e.g. like, hate, admit, imagine
In compound nouns,
e.g. a driving lesson, a swimming pool, bird-watching, train-spotting
What's the difference between a Gerund and a Participle?
A Gerund is a verb form used as a noun whilst a Participle is a verb form used as an adjective.
Gerund
: A verbal noun in Latin that expresses generalized or uncompleted action
: Any of several linguistic forms analogous to the Latin gerund in languages other than Latin; especially : the English verbal noun in -ing that has the function of a substantive and at the same time shows the verbal features of tense, voice, and capacity to take adverbial qualifiers and to govern objects
: A Gerund is a verb and noun combined. eg: "I think of retiring soon from business."
Retiring is a verb, being part of the verb retire. It is also a noun, because it is object to the preposition 'of. Participle a word having the characteristics of both verb and adjective; especially : an English verbal form that has the function of an adjective and at the same time shows such verbal features as tense and voice and capacity to take an object
: A Participle is a verb and adjective combined. eg: "A retired officer lives next door." or "She was killed by a falling tile."
Retired is a verb, being part of the verb to retire. It is also an adjective, because it qualifies the noun 'officer'. Falling is a verb, since it is part of the verb to fall, but it is also an adjective in that it qualifies the noun 'tile'.