Gerunds in English are formed by adding a suffix -ing to the base of the verb, i.e. it has the same form as the participle I: work - working, write - writing.
In Russian there is no corresponding form (i.e. gerund).
The properties of the verb in the gerund are as follows:
| Active | Passive | |
|---|---|---|
| Indefinite | working | being worked |
| Perfect | having worked | having been worked |
I like reading short stories.
I love reading short stories.
3. A gerund can be defined by an adverb.
He likes driving quickly.
He likes to drive fast.
The properties of a noun in a gerund are as follows:
Not began translating a new book.
He began translating a new book. (He began translating a new book.)
Don't like swimming. He loves to swim (swimming).
d) indirect object (or prepositional object):
Not fond of driving. He loves to drive a car.
Don't touch the bench. It is fresh painted.
Don't touch the bench. It has been recently painted.
Don't drink this water.
Don't drink this water. (Do not drink water.)
Do not smoke here.
Don't smoke here. (No smoking here.)
2. There are a number of verbs after which only a gerund is used to convey the corresponding meaning: to stop- stop, to finish - end, to avoid - avoid, to prevent - prevent, to recollect - recall. to fancy - imagine, to imagine - imagine, to delay - save, to forgive - forgive, to pardon - forgive, to excuse - excuse, to mind - mind, to require - demand, to suggest - suggest and etc.
Try to avoid working at night.
Try to avoid working (working) at night.
Forgive my coming late.
Sorry for my lateness.
He suggested studying in the evening.
He suggested studying in the evening.
They often recollect traveling about (in) the Crimea.
They often remember their trip to Crimea.
Stop laughing. Stop laughing.
I don't mind living here.
I have nothing against (don't mind) living here.
Please note: stop in the meaning of cease - stop, stop doing something requires a gerund after itself.
Stop whistling. Stop whistling.
In the meaning of stopping for some purpose (to do something), stop is used with an infinitive after it.
Not stopped to speak to Mary.
He stopped to talk to Mary.
3. There are verbs after which you can use both a gerund and an infinitive with the same meaning. These are the following verbs:
A) to begin, to start - start off, to continue - continue.
I began working. I start work.
I began to work. I start work.
b) to attempt - try, to intend - mean(these verbs are more often used with an infinitive than with a gerund).
Doesn't intend to leave (leaving) the Army.
He intends to leave the army.
V) to love - be in love, to like - like, to hate - hate, to prefer - prefer(after verbs in Present and Past a gerund is usually used, in other cases the infinitive is usually used).
I like walking. (=I like to walk.)
I like to walk.
He hated waiting.
He didn't like to wait.
G) to permit, to allow - allow, to advise - advise(if the person to whom the action relates is mentioned, then the infinitive is used; if not mentioned, the gerund is used).
I don't allow him to drive a car.
I don't let him drive the car. (The person to whom the action relates is indicated - him.)
I don't allow smoking here. I don't allow smoking here.
d) to remember - remember, to regret - regret(a gerund is used after these verbs if the action expressed by the gerund precedes the action expressed by the verbs to remember, to regret).
I regret going there.
I regret going there. (I went earlier, I regret it now.)
e) to need - need, to want - want, to require - demand(after these verbs a gerund or infinitive is used, but the gerund is more common).
The flowers want watering. (= The flowers want to be watered.)
Flowers need to be watered. (= flowers need to be watered.)
and) to try - try, try, to propose - propose, make an offer, to go on - continue, to be afraid of - afraid(verb to try meaning to attempt - try requires an infinitive after itself, and in the meaning of to make the experiment - experiment requires a gerund after itself).
They tried to put
They tried to put wire mesh around the garden.
It is not clear from this sentence whether the net was installed or not. Second sentence using a gerund:
They tried putting wire netting all round the garden.
They tried (did an experiment) to put a net around the garden.
The use of a gerund indicates that they performed the main action, i.e., put up a net, but whether this had a positive result is unknown, i.e., whether it saved the garden from hares, foxes, etc.
Verb to propose in the meaning of to intend - mean requires an infinitive after itself, and in the meaning of suggest - suggest requires a gerund after itself.
I propose to start tomorrow.
I intend to leave tomorrow.
I propose waiting till the doctor gets here.
I suggest you wait until the doctor comes.
Verb to go on(= to continue) - continue usually used with a gerund, but with verbs such as to tell, to talk, to explain, etc., when the speaker talks about the same topic, but introduces new aspects, the infinitive is used.
Didn't go on talking.
Did not begin by showing us where the island was and went on to tell us about its climate.
He continued talking. He started by showing us where the island was and then went on to talk about its climate.
4. After verbs to go, to come a verb indicating physical activity is used in the form of a gerund.
They are going playing football.
They go to play football.
5. used to + Infinitive expresses a past habit.
I used to smoke.
I used to smoke (but now I don’t).
The verb to use in the form to be used to in the meaning to be accustomed - get used to it used with a gerund.
I am used to standing in queues.
I'm used to standing in lines.
Structure to be afraid of + Gerund means the expression of fear, fear and is usually used with verbs expressing undesirable actions.
Wasn't afraid of falling. He was afraid of falling.
He was afraid of missing his train.
He was afraid of missing his train.
Structure to be afraid + Infinitive expresses that the person (as the subject) is afraid to perform the action expressed by the infinitive.
I wasn't afraid to jump so he stayed where he was.
He was afraid to jump and so he stayed where he was.
6. Gerunds are often included in compound nouns that indicate the purpose of an object: writing table - desk, booking office - ticket office, swimming pool - swimming pool.
7. Gerund is often used after verbs, adjectives and participles as a prepositional object and requiring certain prepositions after itself: to depend on - depend from, to insist on - insist on, to object to - object against, to agree to - agree to, to think of - to think about, to thank for - thank you for, to prevent from - hinder, hinder to succeed in - succeed in, to be proud of - be proud of (someone, something), to be fond of - to love (something), to be sure of - to be sure of (something), to be pleased at/with - to be pleased with (someone, something), to be surprised at - to be surprised (at something) to be interested in - be interested in (something), to be connected with - be related to.
She succeeded in playing the piano.
She achieved success in playing the piano.
He wasn't surprised at seeing her in our house.
He was surprised to see her (when he saw her) in our house.
He insisted on my moving to their house.
He insisted on me moving into their house.
She was proud of winning the first prize.
She was proud that she received (won) the first prize.
8. Perfect Gerund (having worked, having written) is used instead of Present Gerund (working, writing) when the action refers to the past tense.
We were surprised at him having arrived to the conference.
We were surprised that he came to the conference.
9. A gerund in the passive voice (Passive Gerund) is used when the action expressed by the gerund is performed on the person or thing to which it refers.
Present: being worked, being written.
Past: having been worked, having been written.
I remember being taken to the Zoo as a small child.
I remember being taken to the zoo when I was little.
He was punished by being sent to bed without any supper.
He was punished by being sent to bed without dinner.
Complex gerundial phrase
The combination of a possessive pronoun or a noun in the possessive or general case with a gerund is called a complex gerundial phrase.
In this combination, the gerund expresses an action performed by the person or thing designated by the pronoun or noun. The entire turn is translated by a subordinate clause.
He insisted on her returning home.
He insisted on her returning home.
They objected to their son’s changing his job.
They were against their son changing jobs.
There was no hope of our getting tickets.
We had no hope of getting tickets.
Negative sentences in English are a sentence containing indicators of negation. In Russian, a sentence can have several negatives. In English, there can only be one negative in one sentence.
Gerund- Gerund
Gerund in English expresses the name of an action and has the properties of a verb and a noun, and, therefore, can perform the functions of a subject, an object in a sentence, be part of a predicate and be used with adverbs. The gerund is translated into Russian as a noun, infinitive, gerund, or subordinate clause.
The gerund has four forms: two in the active voice and two in the passive voice.
1. Gerund in active voice:
A. Simple Gerund Simple Gerund
b. Perfect Gerund Perfect Gerund
2. Gerund in the passive voice:
A. Simple Gerund Passive
b. Perfect Gerund Passive Perfect gerund of the passive voice
| Gerund form | Pledge | |
| Valid | Passive | |
| Simple | IV | being III |
| painting | being painted | |
| Perfect | having III | having been III |
| having painted | having been painted | |
Unlike the infinitive, the gerund has one syntactic structure: the gerundial phrase. It looks like this:
Possessive Noun/Possessive Pronoun + Gerund
His buying a gift is really no excuse. Buying a gift does not justify it in any way.
Use of Simple Gerund
1. The action expressed by the gerund occurs simultaneously with the action expressed by the verb in the personal form, or refers to the future tense.Mia avoided diving. Mia tried not to dive.
2. Gerund denotes action at all, without relating it to any time.
Vanessa dislikes swimming. Vanessa doesn't like to swim (at all).
Using Perfect Gerund
1. The action expressed by the gerund precedes the action expressed by the personal verb. Mostly after verbs like:to admit
to regret
to deny
to remember
to forget to forget
to recall
Steven is proud of having won this prize. Stephen is proud to have won the prize.
2. After verbs:
to forgive
to remember
to thank
and after prepositions:
after after
on/upon
without without
and etc.
Simple Gerund can be used to indicate a previous action.
Nathaniel doesn't remember hearing this story. Nathaniel doesn't remember her hearing this story.
Rules for using gerunds in active and passive voices
1. If the action expressed by the gerund is performed object, to which it refers, the gerund is used in the active voice.Alexa remembers having seen this photo. Alexa remembers seeing this photo.
2. If the action expressed by the gerund is performed above the object, to which it refers. then the gerund is used in the passive voice.
Alexa remembers having been shown this photo. Alexa remembers being shown this photo.
Note: After verbs:
to want
to require
and after the adjective worth (worth),
The gerund has a passive meaning, despite the fact that it is used in the active voice.
Her car requires repairing. Her car needs to be repaired (Her car needs repairs).
The Shawshank redemption is worth watching. Shawshank Redemption is worth watching.
Using gerunds as different parts of speech
1. Subject or part thereof.Listening to classical music is nice. Listening to classical music is pleasant.
2. Predicate.
Reading is knowing. Reading means learning.
3. Part of the predicate ambassador of verbs that express:
A. Necessity, possibility, probability, desirability, etc.
to advise
to allow
to avoid
to appreciate
can't stand the bear
can't stand stand
can't help
to detest to hate
to dislike
to dread
to expect
to fell like
to intend to intend
to like
to permit
to propose
to recommend recommend
to want
and etc.
He detests skating. He hates skating.
b. Beginning, end, duration of action.
to begin
to cease
to commence
to finish
to give up
to go on, keep on, to proceed, to continue, to carry on
to quit, leave, resign
to resume
to stop
and etc.
It has started raining. It started to rain.
4. Addition after:
A. Verbs
to admit
to anticipate
to consider
to delay
to enjoy
to escape
to excuse
to fancy imagine, imagine
to forbid
to forgive
to imagine
to involve
to mean
to mind to object
to miss
to pardon to apologize
to postpone
to practice
to prevent
to recollect
to regret
to remember
to resent being indignant
to resist
to risk
to suggest
to understand
and etc.
Do you mind my opening the windows? Do you mind if I open the window?
b. Verbs with prepositions
to account of
to aim at
to apologize for
to approve of approve
to assist in
to believe in
to complain of complain about
to depend on
to decide against
to dream of
to be engaged in to be engaged in any activity
to inform of
to insist on
to be interested in
to prevent from prevent, interfere
to think of / about
to succeed in
to rely on
to suspect of
to warn against
to look forward to look forward to
to object to object
to devote to devote oneself to something
and etc.
All people dream being happy. All people dream of being happy.
5. Definition after nouns with prepositions.
an advantage of the positive side, advantage
a cause of reason
a chance of chance, opportunity
a decrease of fall, decrease
a difficulty in difficulty
a disadvantage of negative side, disadvantage
a fact of fact, circumstance
a fall in decline
fear of fear
a feeling of sensation
a gift of gift
an idea of idea
an opportunity of opportunity
a reason for reason
a rise in rise, jump
a way of way, manner
and etc.
His way of talking was rather rude. His manner of speaking was quite rude.
6. Circumstances of time, manner of action, conditions, goals, reasons after prepositions:
after after
at at, on
before
by to
despite in spite of; despite
for for
in
instead of
in spite of
on by
through by; by using
without without
upon on
and etc.
In spite of living abroad for a long time he hasn't forgotten his native language. Despite living abroad for a long time, he did not forget his native language.
The difficulty of studying the gerund lies in the fact that there is no similar part of speech in the Russian language. It is not entirely clear why it is needed at all. In this article we will take a closer look at what a gerund is and how the gerund is used in English.
What is a gerund?
Like a verb, a gerund names an action and has different forms. Like a noun, a gerund can be used with . There is no gerund in Russian, so it is translated either as a noun or as a verb, depending on the context:
Reading is my hobby. – Reading is my hobby (Reading is my hobby).
Children finished reading. – The children have finished reading (The children have finished reading).
Table: gerund forms in English
There are four forms of the gerund: two in the Simple form and two in the Perfect form. In most cases it is used simple gerund(e.g. “asking”), which is the subject of most of this article.
| Active | Passive | |
|---|---|---|
|
Simple (Indefinite) |
having been asked |
Negative form of gerund is formed using a particle not, which is placed before the gerund: not asking, not being asked, not having asked, not having been asked.
Let's look at the forms of the gerund in more detail.
1. Gerund in the Simple form (in active and passive voice)
Expresses an action that occurs:
- Simultaneously with the action expressed by the verb in personal form.
He likes inviting his friends to his house. – He likes to invite friends to his home.
He likes being invited by his friends. – He likes when his friends invite him.
- Refers to the future tense.
I think of taking English classes next month. – I'm thinking of going to English lessons next month.
She indends selling her house. She intends to sell her house.
- Regardless of the time of its commission
Running is a good hobby. – Running is a good hobby.
Reading makes you smarter. – Reading makes you smarter.
2. Gerund in Perfect form (in active and passive voice)
Used when an action precedes the action expressed by the verb.
Lizzy mentioned having read the article in a magazine. – Lizzie mentioned that she had read an article in a magazine.
I don't remember having seen you before. “I don’t remember seeing you before.”
Note:
In some cases, a Simple gerund is used instead of a Perfect gerund, even though the gerund expresses a preceding action.
- After prepositions on\upon– by, after and after- after.
After leaving the room, he laughed. – Leaving the room (after he left the room), he laughed.
On receiving the positive answer, we agreed to cooperate. – After receiving a positive response, we agreed to cooperate.
- In cases where there is no need to emphasize that the action expressed by the gerund preceded the action expressed by the verb:
Thank you for coming. – Thank you for coming.
He apologized for leaving the door open. “He apologized for leaving the door open.”
Gerund without preposition
Cases of using gerunds can be divided into two groups: gerunds without a preposition and gerunds with a preposition. Let's first look at simpler cases where there is no preposition before the gerund.
1. Gerund as subject
As a subject, the gerund usually denotes general concepts.
Hunting wolves are dangerous. – Hunting wolves is dangerous.
Flying makes me nervous. – Flying makes me nervous.
Brushing your teeth are important. – Brushing your teeth is important.
Knowledge is power. - Knowledge is power.
Learning is an easy part. Practicing is what makes it hard. “The study is the easy part, the practice is the hard part.”
2. Gerund as part of a compound predicate
1. The predicate consists of to be + gerund:
One of his duties is attending meetings. – One of his duties is to attend meetings.
One of life's pleasures is having breakfast in bed. – One of the pleasures in life is breakfast in bed.
In this case, instead of a gerund, the following can be used:
One of his duties is to attend meetings.
One of life's pleasures is to have breakfast in bed.
2. The predicate consists of a verb + gerund.
The following verbs are used especially often in this combination:
- avoid- avoid,
- finish- finish,
- stop, give up- stop,
- keep (on)- continue,
- put off, postpone, delay- postpone, postpone.
- need- need,
- require- demand,
- want- want,
- enjoy- enjoy, have fun.
I avoid going to the dentist. – I avoid visiting the dentist.
I have finished working. - I finished work.
I can't give up smoking. - I can not quit smoking.
John keeps watching
The windows need washing. - The windows need to be washed.
Notes:
1. Combination “keep (on) + gerund” means “to keep doing something, to constantly do something.” This is quite a useful and common combination.
She kept rereading his letters. “She continued to re-read his letters.
John keeps watching TV all the time. John watches TV all the time.
There are several popular patterns with it that are often found in films:
Keep moving! - Forward! (lit.: keep moving)
Keep smiling! - Smile! (lit.: keep smiling)
Let's keep going. – Let's go (lit.: let's keep going).
2. After some verbs, an infinitive can be used as the second part of the predicate.
I like swimming– I like to swim(I like to swim).
He started complaining– He started to complain(He started complaining).
3. After the verb stop an infinitive can be used, but then the meaning stop will not “stop”, but “stop”:
She stopped crying. – She stopped crying.
She stopped to cry. “She stopped to cry.
3. Gerund after the verbs mention, remember, mind
The gerund is used as a direct object after verbs mention- mention, remember- remember, mind- object
I don't mind having a drink. - I don't mind drinking.
I remember locking the door. – I remember that I locked the door.
Did I mention going to see Vicky on the Sunday? – Did I mention that I’m meeting Vicky on Sunday?
Note:
After the verb remember an infinitive can be used, but the meaning will change:
I remember locking the door = I remember that I locked the door.
I remember to lock the door. - I remember that the door needs to be locked.
Gerund after a preposition
A gerund can be used after a preposition preceded by , or .
Turnover scheme:
Verb\Proverb. \ Adj \ Noun + Preposition + Gerund
Please note that a preposition can only control a noun, a pronoun and a gerund - the closest form of a verb to a noun. A verb, infinitive or participle cannot be controlled by a preposition – after a preposition any verb takes the form of a gerund.
1. Gerund as an object
After verbs, participles and adjectives, the gerund is used as a prepositional indirect.
I was surprised at seeing them together. – I was surprised to see them together.
Who is responsible for taking a wrong way? – Who is responsible for the fact that the wrong path was chosen?
Anna is interested in working with her sister. – Anna is interested in working with her sister.
I'm afraid of doing a wrong thing. - I'm afraid of doing the wrong thing.
Among these verbs, participles and adjectives, several common ones can be identified:
- be disappointed at- to be disappointed in,
- be surprised at- to be surprised by something
- be responsible for- to be responsible for something,
- prevent from- hinder, prevent someone from doing something,
- consists in- consist in,
- persist in- persist in doing something
- result in- lead to something
- spend in- spend on something
- succeed in- to succeed in something,
- be interested in- to be interested in something,
- accuse of- To accuse of,
- approve of- approve,
- suspect of- to suspect
- hear of- to hear about
- think of- to think about,
- be afraid of- to be afraid of something,
- be (in-) capable of- to be (not) capable of anything,
- be fond of- to love, adore something,
- be proud of- to be proud of something
- count on- count on
- insist on- insist on,
- object to- object against,
- get- To get used to
Notes:
1. After all these words, nouns and pronouns can also be used as objects (they are usually used):
I am fond of pasta. – I'm crazy about pasta.
I'm proud of you. - I'm proud of you.
2. After some of the words listed, an infinitive can be used, but the preposition is then removed. A preposition cannot come before an infinitive.
I'm surprised at seeing you – I'm surprised to see you.
I'm proud of being with you – I’m proud to be with you.
In this case, “to” is not a preposition, but a particle related to the infinitive.
2. Gerund as a definition
Like, the gerund is used after nouns, usually with a preposition of.
There are many methods of teaching English. – There are many methods of teaching English.
I study the art of cooking. – I am studying the art of cooking.
Stop the process of dissolving. – Stop the dissolution process.
She didn't show any interest in joining our conspiracy. “She showed no interest in joining our plot.”
Let us highlight several nouns after which a gerund is often used:
- astonishment, surprise at- astonishment,
- dissappointment at- disappointment,
- apology for- apology,
- plan for– plan,
- preparation for- cooking, preparation,
- reason for– reason,
- experience in- experience,
- interest in– interest,
- skill in- skill, mastery,
- art of- art,
- chance of- opportunity,
- fear of- fear,
- habit of- habit,
- hope of– hope,
- idea of- thought, idea,
- importance of– importance,
- intention of– intention,
- means of– means,
- method of– method,
- necessity of- necessity,
- objection to- objection,
- pleasure of- pleasure,
- possibility of- opportunity,
- problem of- problem,
- process of- process,
- right of- right,
- way of- way, way
Note: These nouns can be followed by nouns, not just gerunds:
What's the method of delivery? – What is the delivery method?
They have long experience in real estate. – They have extensive experience in working with real estate.
3. Gerund as an adverbial circumstance
A gerund, in combination with various prepositions, can act as time, reason, manner of action, etc.
In this case, the gerund expresses:
1. Time:
Prepositions: on, upon, after- after, before- before, in- while
After saying goodbye, she closed the door. – Having said goodbye, she closed the door.
On finding that the structure was wrong, Dr. Adams changed his opinion. – Discovering that the structure was incorrect, Dr. Adams changed his mind.
Check your bag before leaving. – Check your bag before you leave.
In sayingthis, I’m not making excuses for the past. – By saying this, I am not making excuses for the past.
2. Reason:
Prepositions: for- behind, owing to- thanks, for the reason
The player was punished for cheating.– The player was punished for cheating.
The player lost owing to cheating– The player lost due to cheating.
3. Mode of action:
Prepositions: by- with the help, through
The writer improved his script by adding two lines of dialogue. – The writer improved the script by adding two lines of dialogue.
The wizard demolished the shield by using a powerful spell. – The wizard destroyed the shield using a powerful spell.
4. Related circumstances:
Prepositions: besides, apart from- except, instead of- instead of, without- without
Ask someone to help you instead of working alone. – Ask someone to help you instead of working alone.
What do you like doing besidesplaying football ? – What do you like to do besides playing football?
She left without saying a word. “She left without saying a word.”
5. Purpose:
Prepositions: for the purpose of- with the aim of
The robot was reprogrammed for the purpose ofselling. – The robot was reprogrammed for the purpose of sale.
The meeting is for the purpose ofsolving problems. – The meeting is intended to solve problems.
6. Condition:
Prepositions: without- without, in case of- when
You'll never speak English without practicing. – You will never speak English without practice.
Take this pill in case of feeling worse. – Take this pill if you feel worse.
Verbal noun and gerund
In English there are verbal nouns with -ing at the end, they can be confused with a gerund, but they differ in that they are 100% nouns and denote an object/person/phenomenon, but NOT an action. Usually they denote the result of some kind of work or type of activity. A verbal noun can be preceded by an article or a possessive pronoun, just like before a noun.
- Gerund: I like painting- I like drawing (the process).
- Dep. noun: How much is the painting? - How much does this painting cost? (item)
Despite its similarities with a noun, the gerund still names not an object, but a process.
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If you are not yet familiar with the gerund, and your level has already exceeded the Pre-Intermediate mark, then it is time to correct this matter. Just don’t scroll through the entire article now and be intimidated by its volume. You are already here - there is no turning back! We will try to make your journey and acquaintance with this form of the verb as pleasant as possible. Let's do this!
What is a gerund
Gerund- a special form of a verb with the suffix -ing, which combines the features of a noun and a verb. What distinguishes it from an ordinary noun is a slight shade of meaning of some process. For example:
painting- drawing;
singing- singing;
playing- a game.
In Russian there is no such thing as a gerund. It is only possible to draw a parallel in meaning with verbal nouns with the suffixes “-(e)nie”, “-tie”, “-ka”, “-stvo”, etc., or verbs in an indefinite form. Look here:
Singing in the shower is his biggest joy. - Pe tion gives him the greatest joy in his soul. Or - His greatest joy - sing in the shower.
You don't have to be Sherlock to find gerunds in text. You can easily find it by its characteristic ending “- ing" And there will be no exceptions here.
About communion
However, grammar would not be itself if everything were so simple. Present participle, also known as the present participle, also has the ending “-ing”. Therefore, attention! Don't get confused: gerund is a word that comes from a verb, and acts as a noun. While participle present time in such a role does not perform, but describes some other word. Here's for comparison:
Susie hates somebody's singing in the middle of the night. - Susie can't stand someone singing in the middle of the night.
Here “singing” is a gerund, as it serves as a complement, which is typical for a noun.
Waiting for everyone to fall asleep, Mr. Crabster takes a shower and starts to sing. - Waiting, when everyone is asleep, Mr. Crabster takes a shower and starts singing.
Here "waiting" is the present participle because it describes Mr. Crabster's actions.
3. Verbs with the last stressed syllable and ending with “- r" also need a doubled last consonant. However, a stressed syllable must not contain diphthongs (sounds whose articulation implies a transition from one vowel sound type to another):
to sta r- star ring;
to wear - wear ing.
4. If there is a letter “-” at the end of a word l", then it is always doubled, regardless of whether the last syllable is stressed or not.
to tel l- tel ling;
to sel l- sel ling.
5. If the infinitive ends with “- ie", they are replaced with "- y»:
to l ie-l y ing;
to d ie- d y ing.
The negative form is formed using the particle " not", which is placed before the gerund:
I prefer not waiting for too long. - I prefer not to wait too long.
The best thing for you now is not watching. - The best thing for you now is not to look.
Gerund translation
Since there is no form similar to the gerund in the Russian language, it can be translated in different ways. There are 2 main ways to translate gerunds:
1) a noun that conveys the process: painting - drawing, reading - reading:
Counting cash helps him calm down. - Counting money calms him down.
Playing the piano is her cup of tea. - Playing the piano is what she likes.
2) a verb, most often of an indefinite form: painting - to draw, reading - to read, and sometimes, if there is a preposition, with a gerund - drawing, reading.
I am fond of reading books. - I like to read books.
He has gone without saying"Good-bye." - He left without saying goodbye.
Complex gerund forms are almost always translated into subordinate clauses.
Thank you for reading this article. - Thank you for reading this article.
Do you remember taking your umbrella with you? - Do you remember how you took an umbrella with you?
Do you feel your brain boiling? Yes, yes, we are gaining momentum. So we take a deep breath and scroll on.
Gerund forms
The gerund has simple and perfect forms, and can also be used in active and passive voice.
Simple form of gerund ( Simple Gerund) is used for an action that occurs simultaneously with the action of the predicate verb:
She likes visiting her friends. - She likes to visit her friends.
She likes being visited by her friends. - She loves when her friends visit her.
Perfect form of gerund ( Perfect Gerund) is used for an action that precedes the action of a predicate verb:
He is excited about having spoken to her. - He's excited to talk to her.
He is excited about having been spoken to. - He's excited that they talked to him.
Functions of a gerund in a sentence
Since the gerund is something between a verb and a noun, it can take on different functions in sentences. It can be an addition, a circumstance, a subject, a definition. Don't let these grammatical terms scare you, and if something is not entirely clear, then examples will help you.
- Subject:
Walking is very healthy. - Walking is very good for health.
- Prepositional complement:
Mary is fond of dancing. - She loves to dance.
- Direct addition:
Police officer minds your waiting here. - The policeman objects to your waiting here.
- Circumstance of time:
On coming homeMr. Crabster came across his neighbor. - Upon returning home, Mr. Crabster ran into his neighbor.
- Circumstance of the course of action:
Instead of doing her home task she watched "The Big Bang Theory". - Instead of doing her homework, she watched The Big Bang Theory.
- Compound nominal predicate:
My husband's business is selling rabbits - My husband’s business is to sell rabbits.
- Definition:
Aliens liked her manner of speaking. - The aliens liked her way of speaking.
Using the gerund
The gerund can be used after many verbs and adjectives with fixed prepositions. Let's look at the most common ones. Only get ready, because you will have to remember quite a lot. In general, keep the following lists with you and use them as a cheat sheet until these words finally settle in your head.
Verbs followed by only gerunds:
acknowledge- acknowledge, confirm;
admit- admit, admit;
advise- advise;
allow- allow, allow;
anticipate- to anticipate, to expect;
appreciate- appreciate, evaluate, be grateful;
avoid- avoid, evade;
be worth- to be worth something, to deserve;
can't help- I can’t help but, I can’t help but (resist);
celebrate- celebrate;
consider- consider, think about;
defend- defend, defend;
delay- delay, postpone;
detest- hate
discontinue- stop, interrupt
discuss- discuss
dislike- not to love
dispute- argue, argue, question
dread- to be afraid, to be wary
endure- endure, withstand
enjoy- enjoy
escape- escape, escape, get rid of, avoid
evade- evade, avoid
explain- explain;
fancy- imagine, desire, want;
fear- afraid;
feel like- want, gather;
feign- pretend, simulate;
finish- finish;
forgive- forgive;
give up- give up, refuse;
keep- continue;
mention- mention;
mind- object (only in questions and denials);
miss- miss;
necessitate- force, make necessary;
omit- skip, do not include;
permit- allow, allow;
picture- depict, imagine;
postpone- postpone, postpone;
practice- practice, practice;
prevent- prevent, hinder, hinder;
put off- postpone;
recall- recall;
recollect- remember, remember;
recommend- recommend, advise;
report- report, report;
resent- to be indignant, indignant;
resist- resist, abstain;
resume- summarize, sum up, resume;
risk- to risk;
shirk- evade, evade;
suggest- suggest;
support- support, promote;
tolerate- endure, allow;
understand- understand;
urge- encourage, convince, insist;
warrant- guarantee, vouch.
I suggest waiting for a better chance. - I suggest waiting for a better opportunity.
She burst out crying. - She burst into tears.
She risked her life taking that medicine. “She risked her life taking that medicine.”
Gerund after verbs with prepositions:
accuse of- To accuse of;
agree to- agree with;
blame for- blame for;
complain of- complain about;
consists in- consist in;
count on/upon- count on;
congratulate on- congratulate on;
depend on- depend on;
dream of- To dream of;
feel like- want, gather;
hear of- hear about;
insist on- insist on;
keep from- keep from;
look forward to- look forward to, anticipate;
look like- look like;
object to- object against;
persist in- continue persistently;
praise for- praise for;
prevent from- prevent from;
rely on- rely on;
result in- to lead to;
succeed in- succeed in;
suspect of- suspect;
thank you for- to thank for;
think of- to think about.
I don't feel like dancing with him. - I don't want to dance with him.
I"m looking forward to going to Italy. - I'm looking forward to a trip to Italy.
She suspected her boyfriend of deceiving her. - She suspected that her boyfriend was deceiving her.
To be + adjective/participle + gerund:
be afraid of- to be afraid of something;
be ashamed of- to be ashamed of something;
be engaged in- be busy with something;
be fond of- to love something, to get carried away by something;
be good at- be capable of;
be interested in- be interested in something;
be pleased at- to be content;
be proud of- to be proud of something;
be responsible for- be responsible for;
be sorry for- to regret something;
be surprised at- be surprised by something;
be tired of- tired of that or;
be used to- To get used to.
I'm tired of drinking champagne. - I'm tired of drinking champagne.
She is good at dancing the cha-cha. - She dances the cha-cha-cha well.
I'm sorry for not coming. - I'm sorry I didn't come.
Gerund vs infinitive. Who will win?
In English, there are a number of verbs with which you can use only an infinitive, after some - only a gerund, while some verbs allow the use of both an infinitive and a gerund after themselves. First, let's look at the meaning behind each of these rivals - the gerund and the infinitive. The following table will help you figure this out.
| Gerund | Verb infinitive |
| Means a generalized long-term action: Kids started playing here 2 hours ago. - The children started playing here 2 hours ago. |
Precise, shorter action: She began to wash the dishes 2 hours ago. - She started washing the dishes two hours ago. |
| Continuous action is associated with both the past and the present: John regret telling her the truth. - John regrets telling her the truth. |
The action moves more towards the future: He propose to start the project tomorrow. - He proposes to start the project tomorrow. |
| To forget (to forget), to remember (to remember) are used with a gerund when we are talking about a perfect action: Chris forgot answering her message. - Chris forgot that he replied to her message. I remember holding the umbrella in my hand. - I remember holding this umbrella in my hand. |
To forget (to forget), to remember (to remember) are used with the infinitive if an action that was never performed is forgotten or remembered: Mr Crabster forgot to turn off the water tap. - Mr. Crabster forgot to turn off the water tap. I remember to find her as soon as possible. - I remember that we need to find her as soon as possible. |
Verbs followed by an infinitive or gerund without changing the meaning of the sentences:
begin- start;
can't bear- cannot bear, cannot endure;
can't stand- do not tolerate;
continue- continue;
hate- to hate;
like- to like, to love;
love- be in love;
prefer- prefer;
propose- suggest;
start- start.
Mary hates to wait for anybody. - Mary hates waiting for someone.
I can't stand listening to his guitar play. - I can't listen to him play the guitar.
I like riding in the mountains. - I love horseback riding in the mountains.
Verbs followed by an infinitive or gerund with a change in meaning.
You need to keep your eyes open with these verbs. Depending on whether you choose an infinitive or a gerund, the sentence will take on a specific meaning:
| forget - to forget | forget + gerund to forget what has already been done |
| forget + infinitive forget what needed to be done |
|
| remember - remember | remember + gerund to remember something that has already been done |
| remember + infinitive remember what needs to be done |
|
| stop - stop, stop | stop + gerund to stop doing something |
| stop + infinitive stop to do something |
|
| try - try, try | try + gerund try different ways |
| try + infinitive try to do something, but often fail |
|
| regret - to regret, regret | regret + gerund regret, regret what has been done |
| regret + infinitive to report something with regret |
|
| quit - stop, stop, quit | quit + gerund stop doing something |
| quit + infinitive quit doing something for something else |
Conclusion
Well, the acquaintance with the gerund has taken place. As you can see, this topic is very broad, there are many nuances and tables that you just need to memorize. You can use our article as a cheat sheet or sign up for our English courses via Skype to reinforce the topic. For those who read to the end, +1000 to karma. May the force of the gerund be with you!
Big and friendly EnglishDom family
Gerund is an impersonal verb form formed by adding the ending -ing to the verb. For example, the gerund of the verb read is reading. There is no analogue of the gerund in the Russian language.
Despite the fact that the gerund is a verb form, it has more of the characteristics of a noun. In particular, in a sentence it can be the subject, object and predicate; gerunds can be used after prepositions; it may be preceded by possessive pronouns.
Note that when there is a noun with the same meaning as a gerund, it is preferable to use the noun.
For example:
We are waiting for his arrival. (AND NOT We are waiting for his arriving.)
We are waiting for him arrival.
Forms and functions of gerunds in English
In the examples below, pay attention to the forms of the gerund (present - present tense form, perfect - perfect form, passive - passive voice form, negative - negative form):
I like shooting.
I like fire. (Gerund form: present.
)
He doesn't like being told what to do.
He doesn't like it when he They say, what to do. ( Gerund form: passive.
)
She loves being looked at.
She likes it when it's on her are watching. (Gerund form: passive.
)
He was charged with having committed arson
He was accused of committing arson. ( Gerund form: perfect.
)
He complained of having been tortured by the police.
He filed a complaint that was tortured from the police. ( Gerund form: perfect passive.
)
The best thing you can do for your health now is not drinking alcohol.
The best thing you can do for your health right now is not to drink alcohol. ( Gerund form: negative.
)
To better understand the difference between the listed gerund forms, you need to have a good understanding of tenses and voice in English.
As mentioned above, in a sentence a gerund can be a subject, an object, and a predicate:
Flying makes me sick.
I feel nauseous during the flight. ( )
Trespassing is prohibited.
Violation of property rights is prohibited. ( Gerund function: subject.)
We don't allow smoking in our house.
We do not allow smoking in our house. ( Gerund function: direct object.)
I don't believe in buying wine as an investment.
I don't think buying wine is a good investment. ( Function of the gerund: prepositional object.)
My favorite activity is reading.
My favorite activity is reading. ( )
Our mistake was trusting him.
Our mistake was that we believed him. ( Function of the gerund: predicative.)
Gerund complement in English
Being a verb form, the gerund also has the characteristics of a verb. Like a verb, a gerund can take an object after it.
Compare:
Smoking is injurious to health. – Smoking cigarettes is injurious to health.
Smoking unhealthy. – Smoking cigarettes unhealthy. ( Noun cigarettes smoking.
)
I love reading. – I love reading novels.
I really love read. - I really love read novels. (Noun novels is the object of the gerund reading.
)
However, note that when a gerund is used with an article, it cannot take a direct object. Instead, a prepositional structure is used of.
For example:
The smoking of cigarettes is injurious to health.
Smoking cigarettes is harmful to health.
The climbing of mountains is a good sport.
Rock climbing is a good sport.
Using pronouns with gerunds in English
Possessive pronouns and some modifiers are often used with gerunds (for example, this, those, each, either, some, few, all, both, etc.), thus indicating who performs the action expressed by the gerund.
For example:
They insisted on my resigning the post.
They insisted that I left from this post.
Does my smoking annoy you?
It doesn't bother you that I smoke?
I don't mind your coming late.
I don't mind You came late.
I hate everyone this useless arguing.
I can't stand everything this useless dispute.
There is no hope of his arriving on time.
There's no hope that he will come during.
She was angry at John's trying to lie to her.
She was angry that John tried lie to her.
In colloquial speech in such situations, nouns or personal pronouns or s are much more often used (for example: me, him, you, John) than possessive pronouns or modifiers.
For example:
They insisted on me resigning the post.
She was angry at John trying to lie to her.
Also, nouns and personal pronouns are preferred when the gerund is in the passive voice, or when the noun expresses an inanimate object.
For example:
We were shocked at President Kennedy being assassinated.
We were shocked when President Kennedy was assassinated.
There is no danger of the roof crashing.
There is no danger that the roof will collapse.
There is no hope of the fog lifting for another hour.
There is no hope that the fog will go away in the next hour.
Gerunds with verbs of perception are usually also used with nouns and personal pronouns.
For example:
I saw him running out of the room.
I saw him run out of the room.
The use of the gerund is discussed in great detail and described in the next section,
