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Worksheets

ELA Gerunds and Functions

Total questions: 68

Worksheet time: 1hrs 6mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is the gerund in this sentence?

My favorite summer activity is sleeping in.

a)

favorite

b)

activity

c)

sleeping

d)

in

2.

What is the gerund in this sentence?

Raising your hand is the best way to get your teacher's attention.

a)

raising

b)

way

c)

get

d)

attention

3.

What is the gerund in this sentence?

Billy could not wait to start playing baseball.

a)

could

b)

playing

c)

baseball

d)

there is no gerund

4.

Is the bold word a verb or a gerund?

The teacher was collecting the class's assignments.

a)

verb

b)

gerund

5.

Is the bold word a verb or a gerund?

Getting ready for school takes longer for my sister than for me.

a)

verb

b)

gerund

6.

Is the bold word a verb or a gerund?

The choir is singing one of my favorite songs!

a)

verb

b)

gerund

7.
IDENTIFY THE GERUND(S) 
Blowing bubbles on a windy day
 is a fun activity for children.
a)
bubbles
b)
activity
c)
blowing
d)
children
8.
IDENTIFY THE GERUND(S) 
Eating ice cream on a hot day can be a good way to cool off.
a)
cool
b)
hot
c)
day
d)
eating
9.
IDENTIFY THE GERUND(S) 
Jessica really enjoys bothering the neighbors with loud music.
a)
Jessica
b)
bothering
c)
loud
d)
music
10.
IDENTIFY THE GERUND(S) 
I'm thinking of painting my house.
a)
I'm 
b)
thinking
c)
painting
d)
house
11.
IDENTIFY THE GERUND(S) 
Piling too much laundry into a washing machine will cause it to malfunction.
a)
washing
b)
piling
c)
malfunction
d)
cause
12.

Gerunds look like what?

a)

to + verb

b)

end in ONLY -ing

c)

end in -ing AND -ed/-nt/other past tense verb endings

d)

none of the above

13.

Gerunds always act like what?

a)

nouns

b)

adjectives

c)

adverbs

d)

all three

14.

Which word is the gerund?

I am interested in hiring someone to replace the gutters on my house

a)

I am interested

b)

hiring

c)

someone

d)

replace

15.
IDENTIFY THE GERUND(S) 
Acting is merely the art of keeping a large group of people from coughing.
a)
acting
b)
keeping
c)
coughing
d)
all of the above
16.
IDENTIFY THE GERUND(S) 
Blowing bubbles on a windy day
 is a fun activity for children.
a)
bubbles
b)
activity
c)
blowing
d)
children
17.
IDENTIFY THE GERUND(S) 
Ethan narrowly avoided driving off the cliff.
a)
narrowly
b)
driving
c)
Ethan
d)
cliff
18.
IDENTIFY THE GERUND(S) 
Eating ice cream on a hot day can be a good way to cool off.
a)
cool
b)
hot
c)
day
d)
eating
19.
IDENTIFY THE GERUND(S) 
Jessica really enjoys bothering the neighbors with loud music.
a)
Jessica
b)
bothering
c)
loud
d)
music
20.

What is the gerund phrase in the following sentence?

Praying the rosary is a powerful form of prayer.

a)

Praying

b)

Praying the rosary

c)

powerful form of prayer

d)

praying the rosary is

21.

What is the gerund phrase?

Neil enjoys cooking dinner for his family.

a)

cooking dinner

b)

cooking

c)

cooking dinner for his family

d)

enjoys cooking

22.

A gerund is a form of a verb that acts as a _____.

a)

adjective

b)

adverb

c)

verb

d)

noun

23.

Is the bold word a verb or a gerund?

The student was doing her online assignments.

a)

verb

b)

gerund

24.

Gerunds are used as subjects and after some verbs and prepositions.

a)

True

b)

False

25.

Is the bold word a verb or a gerund?

The band is playing my favorite song!

a)

verb

b)

gerund

26.
A gerund can be used after
a)
a preposition
b)
certain verbs
c)
All of the above
27.
A gerund can be used as the subject of a sentence
a)
True
b)
False
28.

A gerund is a form of a verb that acts as a _____.

a)

adjective

b)

adverb

c)

verb

d)

noun

29.

What is the gerund in the following sentence?


Becoming a doctor takes years of serious study.

a)

takes

b)

becoming

c)

years

d)

study

30.

Why is the word in blue a gerund?


Whomping the children was Mrs. Brennan’s job on Halloween because she was dressed as the Willow from Harry Potter.

a)

Because it comes first

b)

Because it is a fun word

c)

Because it is the subject of the sentence

d)

Because it is the object of a preposition

31.

Identify the function of the gerund.

Her favorite sport is swimming.

a)

Subject

b)

Direct Object

c)

Predicate Nominative

d)

Object of Preposition

32.

Identify the function of the gerund.

They called her playing brilliant.

a)

Subject

b)

Direct Object

c)

Predicate Nominative

d)

Object of Preposition

33.

Identify the function of the gerund.

Reading is an important skill.

a)

Subject

b)

Direct Object

c)

Predicate Nominative

d)

Object of Preposition

34.

Identify the function of the gerund.

We gave our consent in writing.

a)

Subject

b)

Direct Object

c)

Predicate Nominative

d)

Object of Preposition

35.

Identify the function of the gerund.

For most birds, flying is a way to escape predators.

a)

Subject

b)

Direct Object

c)

Predicate Nominative

d)

Object of Preposition

36.

Identify the function of the gerund.

Her singing is hurting my ears.

a)

Subject

b)

Direct Object

c)

Predicate Nominative

d)

Object of Preposition

37.

Identify the function of the gerund.

The team practiced running on Friday.

a)

Subject

b)

Direct Object

c)

Predicate Nominative

d)

Object of Preposition

38.

Running is my favorite exercise to do.

The word running is a gerund because it is an -ing word that is functioning as a noun.

It also does not have a helping verb with it. What is the function of this gerund?

a)

subject

b)

direct object

c)

indirect object

d)

object of the preposition

e)

predicate noun

39.

My grandma loves baking cakes.

The word baking is a gerund because it is an -ing word that is functioning as a noun.

It also does not have a helping verb with it. What is the function of this gerund?

a)

subject

b)

direct object

c)

indirect object

d)

object of the preposition

e)

predicate noun

40.

I am tired of trying.

The word trying is a gerund because it is an -ing word that is functioning as a noun.

It also does not have a helping verb with it. What is the function of this gerund?

a)

subject

b)

direct object

c)

indirect object

d)

object of the preposition

e)

predicate noun

41.

Which sentence contains a gerund phrase?

a)

We were thinking about the problem.

b)

Watering our garden made our tomatoes perfect!

c)

He was napping in the hammock on our porch.

42.

Rufus wants to play in the mud. The underlined part of this sentence is _______.

a)

an infinitive

b)

an infinitive phrase

43.

My class wants to read the new novel. The underlined part of this sentence is _____.

a)

an infinitive

b)

an infinitive phrase

44.

She went to the park to allow her dog to run. Which of the following is/are the infinitive(s) in this sentence?

a)

to the park

b)

to allow

c)

to allow her dog,

to run

d)

to allow, to run

45.

Check all that apply. Infinitives can function as _____.

a)

nouns

b)

adjectives

c)

adverbs

d)

verbs

46.

To the average person, he may not seem very special. The underlined portion is _____.

a)

prepositional phrase

b)

infinitive phrase

c)

gerund phrase

47.

I tried to understand the math lesson, but I struggled. The underlined part of this sentence is ____.

a)

prepositional phrase

b)

infinitive phrase

48.

Choose the infinitive phrase in this sentence. I tried to answer all of the questions on the test.

a)

I tired

b)

to answer

c)

to answer all of the questions on the test

49.

I am going to run to the library. Which is the infinitive phrase?

a)

to run

b)

to run to the library

c)

to the library

50.

People see psychiatrists because they need to talk about their issues.

a)

infinitive

b)

gerund

c)

present participle

d)

past participle

51.

Sophie agreed to meet with me, but then she never showed up.

a)

infinitive

b)

gerund

c)

present participle

d)

past participle

52.

They were presented with the menu; choosing was difficult.

a)

infinitive

b)

gerund

c)

present participle

d)

past participle

53.

Beth's husband loves to hike to the hut on the top of the mountain.

a)

infinitive

b)

gerund

c)

present participle

d)

past participle

54.
The Joker came up with a terrifying plan.
What type of verbal is in red in the sentence above?
a)
gerund
b)
infinitive
c)
participle
d)
not a verbal
55.
The exhausted children napped on the floor.
a)
Participle
b)
Gerund
c)
Infinitive
d)
None of the above
56.
Knitting is her favorite winter hobby.
a)
Participle
b)
Gerund
c)
Infinitive
d)
None of the above
57.

What is the best definition of a gerund?

a)

The word "to" plus a verb

b)

A verb that ends in -ing and functions as a noun

c)

A combination of helping verbs and other words

58.

Which of the following best fits the definition of an infinitive?

a)

A verb phrase with an -ing word

b)

A verb that ends in -ing and functions as a noun

c)

A combination of helping verbs and other words

d)

The word "to" plus a verb

59.
What is the gerund?
Bernard hates buttering toast with a fork.
a)
Bernard
b)
hates
c)
buttering
d)
toast
60.

What's the verbal?

I feel falling rain upon my head.

a)

participle

b)

gerund

c)

infinitive

61.
Jogging is her favorite activity.
a)
Gerund
b)
Participle
c)
Infinitive
62.
The passing bus accelerated down the street.
a)
Gerund
b)
Participle
c)
Infinitive
63.
Infinitives have what word in front of it?
a)
--ing
b)
--ed
c)
to
d)
read
64.
The difference between gerunds and participles is....
a)
gerunds are nouns while participles are adjectives
b)
gerunds are adjectives and participles are nouns
c)
There is no difference
d)
Gerunds are groovy and participles rock.
65.

In the sentence, "Removing his glasses, the professor shook his head with disappointment," what is the underlined phrase?

a)

Gerund phrase

b)

Infinitive phrase

c)

Appositive phrase

d)

Participial phrase

66.
What is the RED phrase?
Flying in a plane is my favorite way to travel.
a)
participle
b)
gerund
c)
infintive
d)
prepositional phrase
67.

What is the RED phrase?

I will be baking pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving.

a)

participle

b)

gerund

c)

infinitive

d)

prepositional phrase

68.
Participles, gerunds, and infinitives are all...
a)
Verbs
b)
Verbals
c)
Phrases
d)
Passive Voice