Verbals: Gerunds

1
Verbals Gerunds

• p. 364
• 7-6

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You have learned that a participle is one kind of
verbal. Another kind of verbal is a gerund.

• Bowling is a very old sport.
• Gardening is a satisfying hobby.
• Collecting baseball cards can be a lucrative
  pastime.

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A gerund is the present participle of a verb (the
ing form) used as a noun.

• In a sentence a gerund can function in all of the
  ways that a noun does.
• Subject Reading is my favorite activity.
• D.O. I enjoy reading.
• Object of Preposition Today is a good day for
  reading.
• Predicate Noun My favorite activity is reading.

4

• To determine whether a word ending in ing is a
  verb, participle, or gerund, you must see how the
  word is used in the sentence.
• First find the simple subject and the simple
  predicate. They will help you know whether a word
  is a gerund.

5

• Cora and Andy are running in tomorrows big race.
  (Running is part of the verb phrase are running)
• The running water overflowed. (Running is a
  participle, modifying the subject water)
• Running is both a fun and healthful exercise.
  (Running is the subject of this sentence. It is a
  gerund)

6
Find each gerund in these sentences. Is it used
as a subject, D.O. , object of a preposition, or
a predicate noun?

1. Sketching is fun for me.
2. Marya exercises everyday by swimming.
3. Her other leisure activity is painting.
4. She and I are singing in the chorus tonight.
5. Of all my interests, I care most about reading.
6. Traveling comes second or third on my list of
   favorites.
7. What is the most interesting hobby for you?

7
Find each gerund in these sentences. Is it used
as a subject, D.O. , object of a preposition, or
a predicate noun?

• 8. A hobby can be anything from fishing to
  painting.
• 9. Few things are better for relaxing than a
  satisfying hobby.
• 10. Some people enjoy gardening whereas others
  prefer reading.
• 11. Gardening gloves protect the hands of those
  who do yard work.
• 12. Many people find pleasure in painting,
  sculpting, or carving.

8
Find each gerund in these sentences. Is it used
as a subject, D.O. , object of a preposition, or
a predicate noun?

• 13. Practical hobbies include sewing, building,
  and cooking.
• 14. Skating, skiing, and swimming are some
  healthful hobbies.
• 15. Reading about faraway places is satisfying to
  many people.
• 16. People of all ages relax and get in shape by
  jogging.
• 17. In fact, running has become a hobby as much
  as an exercise.

9
Find each gerund in these sentences. Is it used
as a subject, D.O. , object of a preposition, or
a predicate noun?

• 18. Winston Churchill, a former Prime Minister of
  Great Britain, liked painting and writing.
• 19. Collecting was President Franklin D.
  Roosevelts hobby, and he acquired an amazing
  stamp collection.
• 20. President Dwight D. Eisenhowers favorite
  kind of exercise was golfing.