Gerunds

A gerund is a verb with -ing added to it that works as a noun. It looks like a verb, but it does the job of a noun in a sentence. For example, in "Swimming is fun," the word "swimming" is a gerund because it names an activity.

What You'll Learn

• What a gerund is and how to form one (verb + -ing used as a noun)
• How to use a gerund as the subject of a sentence (e.g., Swimming is fun)
• Which verbs must be followed by a gerund, not a base verb (e.g., enjoy, finish, avoid + -ing)
• How to tell the difference between a gerund and a present continuous verb

When to Use

1. As the subject of a sentence: "Reading helps you learn new words." (The gerund names the activity that helps.)
2. After "enjoy": "We enjoy playing football at the park." (The gerund tells what we enjoy.)
3. After "finish": "She finished eating her lunch before recess ended." (The gerund tells what she finished.)
4. After "avoid": "You should avoid running near the swimming pool." (The gerund tells what to avoid.)
5. After other -ing verbs: "He keeps talking during the lesson." (The gerund tells what he keeps doing.)

How to Form

Building a Gerund

Take the base verb and add -ing. The gerund looks the same as the present continuous form, but it works as a noun, not a verb.

Spelling Rules for Adding -ing

Gerund as Subject

When a verb-action is the subject of a sentence (the thing the sentence is about), use the gerund form.

Gerund After Certain Verbs

Some verbs must be followed by a gerund (-ing form), not a base verb. Here are the most important ones for you to know:

Key Rules

1. A gerund is a verb + -ing used as a noun: Even though it looks like a verb, it does the job of a noun. It can be the subject of a sentence or follow certain verbs. "Swimming is fun" -- "swimming" is the subject, just like a noun.

2. Use the gerund as the subject when a verb-action is what the sentence is about: "Painting takes a lot of patience." Do not use the plain verb as a subject. Say "Reading is enjoyable," not "Read is enjoyable."

3. "Enjoy," "finish," and "avoid" must be followed by a gerund: These verbs always take the -ing form. "She enjoys singing." Never say "She enjoys sing" or "She enjoys to sing."

4. "Keep," "mind," "practise," "give up," and "can't help" also take a gerund: Memorise these verbs as part of the gerund group. "He keeps forgetting his water bottle."

5. Do not confuse a gerund with the present continuous tense: In "She is swimming," the word "swimming" is part of the present continuous verb (is + -ing). But in "Swimming is fun," the word "swimming" is a gerund used as a noun. Ask yourself: is the -ing word naming an activity, or describing what someone is doing right now?

6. Follow the spelling rules when adding -ing: Remember to drop the silent -e (make -> making), double the final consonant after a short vowel (sit -> sitting), and change -ie to -y (die -> dying).

Common Mistakes

Clue Words

Verbs that must be followed by a gerund (-ing)

enjoy, finish, avoid, keep, mind, practise, give up, can't help

When you see any of these verbs, the next verb must be in the -ing form.

Subject position signals

When a verb-action appears at the start of a sentence and is followed by a linking verb like "is" or "was," it should be a gerund.

___ing is..., ___ing was..., ___ing takes..., ___ing helps..., ___ing makes...

Tip: If the -ing word answers the question "What?" it is a gerund. "What is fun?" -- "Swimming is fun." "What does she enjoy?" -- "She enjoys reading." If it answers "What?", it is acting as a noun!

Practice Tips

1. The "What?" test: After reading a sentence, ask "What?" If the -ing word answers that question, it is a gerund. "She enjoys painting." What does she enjoy? Painting. That is a gerund.

2. Swap with a regular noun: Try replacing the -ing word with a normal noun. If the sentence still makes sense, the -ing word is a gerund. "Swimming is fun" -> "Football is fun." It works, so "swimming" is a gerund.

3. Check the gerund-verb list: When you write a sentence with "enjoy," "finish," "avoid," "keep," "mind," or "practise," check that the next verb ends in -ing. If it does not, change it.

4. Spot the difference from continuous tense: Look for a helping verb (is, am, are, was, were) right before the -ing word. If there is one and the -ing word describes an ongoing action, it is the continuous tense. If the -ing word stands on its own as a noun, it is a gerund. "She is cooking" = continuous tense. "Cooking is her hobby" = gerund.

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