Gerund (-ing form) in English
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Sign up for freeThis chapter discusses the gerund in English. The gerund is a verb used as a noun.
Lesson outline
HideDefinition and usage of the English gerund
The gerund in English looks the same as the present participle. The gerund functions as a noun in the sentence.
The table below will show the situations when the gerund is used.
| Situation | Example |
|---|---|
| The gerund as subject in the sentence. |
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| The gerund as additional function of the verb 'to be'. |
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| The gerund after prepositions. |
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| The gerund after phrasal verbs. |
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| The gerund in compound nouns. |
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| The gerund after infinitive verbs. |
|
Take a look at the following chapters for a detailed explanation about the gerund after infinitive verbs, the gerund after prepositions, and the gerund after phrases.
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Rules to form the gerund
To form the gerund from English verbs the following rule is applied:
verb + ing
However, there are some extra rules to keep in mind for certain verbs.
| Verb | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verbs with a single syllable. | Where a vowel is between two consonants, the last consonant must be duplicated. |
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| Verbs with two syllables. | Which ends in a vowel followed by a consonant. If the last consonant is stressed, it must be duplicated. |
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| Verbs ending in '-ie'. | The '-ie' must be changed to '-y'. |
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| Verbs ending in '-l', | The '-l' must be duplicated. The '-l' has to sounds like 'el' to be able to duplicate it. |
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| Verbs ending in '-e'. | The '-e' must be changed to '-ing'. |
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Verbs ending in '-e' must be changed to '-ing'. Except for the verb 'to be', this will be 'being'.
Train your skills by doing the exercises below!
Exercises
- Exercise to fill in the gerund in English
- Practice the gerund in English
- Choose the correct gerund in English
Exercise to fill in the gerund in English
Practice the gerund in English
Choose the correct gerund in English
Exercises
- Exercise to fill in the gerund in English
- Practice the gerund in English
- Choose the correct gerund in English