Lesson 212 - Parts of the Sentence - Verbals - Gerunds

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A gerund is a verbal that always ends in ing and is used as a noun. 

 

Example:

Eating is fun.

The gerund can be a subject, a direct object, a predicate nominative, an appositive, an indirect object, or an object of a preposition. 

 

Examples: 

Eating is fun. (subject)

I like eating. (direct object)

A fun time is eating. (predicate nominative)

A fun time, eating, takes much time. (appositive)

I give eating too much time. (indirect object)

I give much time to eating. (object of preposition)

Gerunds can have with them direct objects, predicate nominatives, predicate adjectives or modifiers to form what is called a gerund phrase. 

 

Example: 

Eating solid foods is hard for babies. (the phrase is the subject) 

Eating is the gerund used as the subject. It has its own direct object foods with the adjective solid, which together make up the gerund phrase.

Instructions: Find the gerund phrases in the following sentences and tell if they are used as a subject, direct object, predicate nominative, appositive, indirect object, or object of the preposition.

1. My hobby is working with irises.

2. I like pruning the fruit trees.

3. I had only one desire, leaving for home.

4. Writing a good novel is hard work.

5. With his snoring in his sleep, his wife couldn't sleep.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. My hobby is working with irises.

    - predicate nominative

2. I like pruning the fruit trees.

    - direct object

3. I had only one desire, leaving for home.

    - appositive

4. Writing a good novel is hard work.

    - subject

5. With his snoring in his sleep, his wife couldn't sleep.

    - object of the preposition

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