Verbals - Gerunds & Infinitives

Verbals - Gerunds and Infinitives

By Andres Trevino

Gerunds

Gerunds are a type of verb that functions as a noun and always ends with -ing.

​Gerund = verb functioning as a noun = verbal

Open Ended

List 5 gerunds that relate to sports activities:

ex: running, exercising, swimming, etc.

​Verb, Participle, or Gerund?

Verbs that are in the progressive tense _{(end in -ing)} appear with a helping verb like is or was.

ex: is helping; was laughing​

​Participles that end in -ing function to describe a noun, whereas Gerunds are the noun.

ex: helping hands; jogging is exhausting

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Multiple Choice

Identify the gerund:

Jogging is a healthy activity.

• healthy

• jogging

• activity

• running

Multiple Choice

Identify the gerund:

The criminal went to court for stealing.

• criminal

• went

• court

• stealing

Multiple Choice

Identify the gerund:

Keith's hobby, painting, keeps him busy.

• hobby

• painting

• Keith's

• busy

Multiple Choice

Identify the gerund:

Running across a busy street can be dangerous.

• running

• across

• busy

• dangerous

Multiple Choice

Identify the gerund:

Victor loves watching good movies.

• loves

• watching

• good

• Victor

​Gerund Phrases

A gerund phrase consists of a gerund and one or more modifiers or a complement. These words form a phrase that acts together as a noun.

​Infinitives

The next type of VERBAL is the infinitive. Infinitives can act as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.

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An infinitive is a form of a verb that generally appears with the word TO ​in front of it and it acts as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.

Prepositional Phrase or Infinitive?

Prepositional Phrases and Infinitives both begin with to but you can identify which is which by analyzing the words that follow.

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A prepositional phrase will always end with a noun or a pronoun (object of preposition); an infinitive always ends with a verb.

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Infinitives without To

Infinitive Phrases

Infinitives phrases consist of an infinitive with modifiers, complement, or subject, all acting together as a single part of speech.

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