Gerunds

A gerund is a noun formed from a verb. All gerunds end "-ing."

• True

• False

Even though it looks like a verb, a gerund acts as a ______ in a sentence.

• thing
• adjective

Select the sentence with a gerund.

• Running the tap for too long is a waste of water.

• Can you fix the running tap?

• The tap was running for an hour.

Answer explanation

Running the tap for too long is a waste of time. (Running the tap is the subject of the sentence)

Can you fix the running tap?

(running is describing the action the tap is doing)

The tap was running for an hour.

(running is an action in this sentence)

Our friend, Sophie, was doing yoga to remain calm while Mrs. Dana entered the room dancing to “The Monster Mash.”

The word in blue is a gerund...

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Our friend, Sophie, was doing yoga to remain calm while Mrs. Dana entered the room dancing to “The Monster Mash.”

In this sentence, doing is a verb, ot a gerund. Sophie is doing the action, doing yoga. Doing yoga is not the subject nor object of the sentence.

Identify the gerund function in the sentence: "Her passion is painting beautiful landscapes."

• Subject of a Verb

• Object of a Verb

• Object of a Preposition

• Subject Complement

Answer explanation

"Her passion is painting beautiful landscapes."

If the sentence was only "Her passion is painting" then the answer would be object of a verb but since it goes on to describe what she likes to paint (beautiful landscapes), the answer is subject complement.

Identify the gerund function in this sentence: "Swimming is my favorite sport."

• Subject of a Verb

• Object of a Verb

• Object of a Preposition

• Subject Complement

Answer explanation

"Swimming is my favorite sport."

In this sentence, the topic or thing that you are talking about is the action of swimming. Therefore it is the subject of the verb. The verb in this case is the verb 'is'.

In the sentence, "He's good at solving puzzles," what is the function?

• Subject of a Verb

• Object of a Verb

• Object of a Preposition

• Subject Complement

Answer explanation

"He's good at solving puzzles"

In the sentence, "He's good at solving puzzles," the gerund "solving" is functioning as the object of a preposition. Specifically, "at" is a preposition here, and "solving" is its object.

3. Identify the gerund function in this sentence: "She enjoys singing in the choir."

• Subject of the sentence
• Object of a Verb

• Object of the preposition
• Subject Complement

Answer explanation

"She enjoys singing in the choir"

In this sentence, "enjoys" is the verb, and "singing in the choir" is the direct object of that verb. "Singing" is a gerund, and it is the activity that she enjoys.

Provide an example sentence where the gerund functions as the subject of a verb.

Give an example sentence in which a gerund serves as the object of a verb.