Gerunds

Choose the present participle in the following utterance.

Chandler and Joey are travelling to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guard.

• travelling

• changing

• both of them

• none of them

Identify the gerund/s in the following sentences -

We are running.

It is our way of keeping fit and having fun at the same time.

• running

• keeping

• having

• none of the above

Answer explanation

Here, 'running' acts as an adjective, demarcating the physical state of the subject 'We'.

Also, note the auxiliary 'is' which sits right before 'running'.

Thus, it serves as a present participle, and not as a gerund.

Fill in the blank with an appropriate gerund.

My number one priority is

It's difficult (a) to climb a mountain but it's worth (b) trying it.

• (a) is a gerund,

  (b) is an infinitive

• (a) is a gerund,

  (b) is a participle

• (a) is a participle,

  (b) is an infinitive

• (a) is an infinitive,

  (b) is a gerund

State one point of similarity and one of difference between gerunds and present participles.

Answer explanation

Both gerunds and present participles end in -ing.

However, a gerund acts as a noun, whereas, a present participle acts like an adjective that modifies a noun or follows the be verb.

Now that you are through with the session, how clear is your understanding of gerunds and present participles?

• I'm raring to go!

• Gotta practice more.

• Not at all :(