A gerund is a verbal that ends in -ing and is used as a noun. It may be a subject, a direct object, an indirect object, an object of a preposition, a subject complement, or an appositive.
Editing is an important writing skill, [subject] I find editing difficult, [direct object]
She gave skating the credit for renewing her interest in winter sports, [indirect object]
We were unprepared for their coming, [object of a preposition]
Seeing is believing, [subject complement]
Melvm's favorite hobby skateboarding, is now illegal downtown, [appositive]
Only the possessive form of a noun or pronoun should precede a gerund.
John's working has not affected his grades. His working has not affected his grades.
Gerunds are commonly used as the names of activities (swimming, bowling, walking), as part of idiomatic expressions with go (go hiking, go hanggliding), and as direct objects or complements of certain verbs. The following common verbs use gerunds as complements.
admit |
discuss |
mind |
recommend |
anticipate |
dislike |
miss |
require |
appreciate |
enjoy |
object to |
resent |
avoid |
feel like |
postpone |
resist |
can/cannot help |
finish |
practice |
risk |
consider |
imagine |
prefer |
suggest |
delay |
keep (on) |
quit |
tolerate |
deny |
mention |
recall |
understand |
Be sure to use gerunds—not infinitives, noun clauses, or finite-verb constructions—with these verbs.
A few verbs, however, can be used with either an infinitive or a gerund.
attempt
begin
can/cannot bear
can/cannot stand
continue prefer
hate start
like love
Four verbs (stop, remember, forget, regret) can be followed by either an infinitive or a gerund, but the meaning changes. After stop, an infinitive indicates a purpose, and a gerund indicates an activity that ceases.
On my way home, I stopped to talk to my friend.
I stopped talking to my friend after she insulted me.
After remember, forget, or regret, an infinitive refers to action after the time of the main verb, and a gerund refers to action before the time of the main verb.
I regret to tell you.
I regret telling you.
(For a list of verbs used only with infinitives, see infinitives.)
