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“Ing Form” (Gerund)

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Let us look at the sentences:

i. Gardening is my hobby.
ii. We continued playing.
iii. I prevent him from stealing.
iv. The game was an exciting.

In sentence (i) “gardening” is a non-finite verb ending in “ing” which works as a subject of “is”.

In sentence (ii) “playing” is a non-finite verb ending in “ing” which works as an object of “continued”.

In sentence (iii) “stealing” is a non-finite verb with ending “ing” which works as object of the proposition “from”.

In sentence (iv) “existing” is a non-finite verb with ending “ing” which works as an object of verb “was”.

These verbs (gardening, playing, stealing and existing) are called gerunds. A gerund is a non-finite verb that functions as a noun in a sentence.

Examples;

Gerunds as subjects:

1. Reading is my favourite past-time: (subject of is)
2. Playing cards is not allowed here: (subject of cards)
3. Acting is an art: (subject of is)

Gerund as objects:

1. Running is a good exercise: (object of is)
2. She hats gambling: (object of hats)
3. I like reading poetry: (object of like)
4. I could not heap crying: (object of could not)
5. Stop talking: (object of stop)

Gerund as object of proposition:-

1. I am fond of painting: (object of proposition ‘of’)
2. Pardon me for disturbing you: (object of proposition ‘for’)
3. He seceded in climbing the top: (object of proposition ‘in’)
4. He is fond of hoarding of money: (object of proposition ‘of’)
5. I thank you for teaching me that word: (object of proposition ‘for’)

In the next post we shall know about Participles.

Read Also: What is Finite and Non-finite Verb.