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Gerund
Phrases
Important Strange . . .
Definition It looks like a verb, but
it acts like a noun.
• A gerund is the
-ing form of a verb
functioning in the
sentence as a noun.
Gerunds as Subjects
• Some gerunds function as the subject of the
sentence.
• The subject identifies who or what the
sentence is about.
• Steve succeeded in
climbing the mountain.
• When the director
finished yelling at the
production crew, he
felt much better.
Identify the Gerund Phrases
• Steve succeeded at
climbing the mountain.
(object of the
preposition at)
• When the director
finished yelling at the
production crew, he
felt much better.
(object of the verb
finished, telling what
he finished.)
Identify the Gerund Phrases
• Yelling at the
production crew
made the director
feel much better.
Identify the Gerund Phrases
• Yelling at the
production crew
made the director
feel much better.
(subject telling
what made Jack
feel better)
• Like a participle, a gerund can sometimes
be accompanied by other words that
complete its meaning.
• A gerund phrase consists of a gerund
accompanied by an adjective, an adverb, a
direct object, or a prepositional phrase.
Examples
• (gerund + D.O.)
• Wearing tight shoes hurts.
(adjective + gerund)
• Long-distance running is fun.
(gerund + prepositional phrase)
• I like dancing on ice.
(gerund + adverb)
• Performing alone is his dream.
Gerund phrases, like gerunds alone, function as nouns in a
sentence. Like a noun, a gerund phrase can be a subject, a
• A participle is a
verb form used as
an adjective (a
descriptive word).
Present & Past Participles
Remember this:
• Present participles
end in -ing.
• Past participles end
in -ed or have
irregular endings.
Examples
• The laughing • Notice that each of these
child held up her -ing or -ed words acts as
brimming piggy an adjective by describing
bank. another word.
• With a cramped • Laughing describes child.
leg, the • Brimming describes the
screaming boy bank.
waded out of the • Cramped describes leg.
pool.
• Screaming describes boy.
Identify the Descriptive
Participles
• Outside the
Halloween spook
house, dozens of
grinning skeletons
greeted the visitors.
• An infinitive is the
word to plus the
base form of the
verb.
Examples of Infinitives
• Sally decided to
enter the Tulsa
Run.
• Brad learned to
operate the new
photocopier.
Identify the Infinitives
• Sally decided to
enter the Tulsa Run.
• Brad learned to
operate the new
photocopier.
Identify the Infinitive Phrases