Gerund Phrases

1. Gerund Phrases

2. What is a Gerund? • Looks like a verb • Formed by adding “-ing” to the plain form of the verb • Acts like a noun

3. So gerunds can be… • Subjects • Walking is good exercise • Predicate Nouns • My favorite hobby is sewing • Direct Objects • Lauren enjoys reading • Objects of Prepositions • That tool is used for drilling

4. The Gerund Phrase • May be modified by an adjective • “I enjoy beautiful singing.” • “Beautiful Singing” is what I enjoy (DO) • …or prepositional phrases • “Singing in the rain can be a lot of fun.” • “Singing in the rain” is the Subject • …or both • “I could hear the gentle ringing of the church bell.” • “Gentle ringing of the church” is what I can hear (DO)

5. The Gerund Phrase(cont.) • Gerunds can also be modified by ADVERBS. • Basking quietly in the sun is my favorite summer pastime. • Nouns normally cannot be modified by adverbs. This is where a gerund still show hints of its origins as a verb

6. The Gerund Phrase (cont.) • May have a compliment (like a direct object in a regular sentence) • His favorite pastime is telling us his troubles. • The gerund phrase “telling us his troubles” is the predicate noun of the sentence, linked to the subject by the linking verb “is” • “trouble” acts as a direct object to the gerund “telling,” stating what he is telling • “us” acts as an indirect object to the gerund “telling,”stating to whom he is telling.