Gerund Exercises: Enhance Your English Grammar (Free Worksheet)

Gerunds are fundamental to fluent and accurate English, acting as nouns derived from verbs. You know they’re those “-ing” verb forms, but when exactly do you use them? It can be tricky! Well, in this post you will get to practice this topic through a variety of gerund exercises. From fill-in-the-blanks to sentence transformations, you’ll have ample opportunity to strengthen your grasp of gerund usage. You will also find an answer key included in the end to maximise your learning potential. Let’s dive in.

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Understanding Gerunds

A gerund is formed by adding “-ing” to the base form of a verb. It can function in various roles within a sentence, such as a subject, object, or complement. For example:

• Swimming is enjoyable. (Subject)
• I love reading. (Direct Object)
• Her favourite activity is dancing. (Subject Complement)

Functions of Gerunds

• Subject: Jogging is a great way to stay fit.
• Direct Object: She enjoys cooking for her family.
• Subject Complement: His hobby is painting.
• Object of a Preposition: They talked about travelling abroad.

Also Read: Gerund Phrases

Gerund Exercises

Here are five exercises on gerunds, along with their answers, to help you practice and master this important aspect of English grammar.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Instructions: Complete the sentences with the correct gerund form of the verbs in parentheses:

1. She enjoys ______ (dance) at parties.
2. He dislikes ______ (run) in the rain.
3. They discussed ______ (move) to a new city.
4. I look forward to ______ (meet) you soon.
5. My favourite hobby is ______ (read).

Answers:

1. She enjoys dancing at parties.
2. He dislikes running in the rain.
3. They discussed moving to a new city.
4. I look forward to meeting you soon.
5. My favourite hobby is reading.

Exercise 2: Identify the Gerund

Instructions: Read the following sentences and identify the gerund:

1. Reading helps improve vocabulary.
2. I am tired of waiting for the bus.
3. Her passion is writing poetry.
4. They spent the whole day planning their trip.
5. Swimming is a great way to stay fit.

Answers:

1. Reading
2. Waiting
3. Writing
4. Planning
5. Swimming

Exercise 3: Rewrite the Sentences

Instructions: Rewrite each sentence using a gerund:

1. I like to swim.
   • I like ______ (swim).
2. She wants to travel more.
   • She wants ______ (travel) more.
3. They plan to start a business.
   • They plan ______ (start) a business.
4. He loves to play soccer.
   • He loves ______ (play) soccer.
5. We need to clean the house.
   • We need ______ (clean) the house.

Answers:

1. I like swimming.
2. She wants to travel more.
3. They plan on starting a business.
4. He loves playing soccer.
5. We need to clean the house.

Exercise 4: Choose the Correct Form

Instructions: Select either the gerund or infinitive form to complete each sentence:

1. He can’t stand ______ (wait / waiting) in long lines.
2. She promised ______ (help / helping) me with my project.
3. They talked about ______ (go / going) to the concert.
4. I hope ______ (see / seeing) you soon.
5. I enjoy ______ (cook / cooking) new recipes.

Answers:

1. He can’t stand waiting in long lines.
2. She promised to help me with my project.
3. They talked about going to the concert.
4. I hope to see you soon.
5. I enjoy cooking new recipes.

Exercise 5: Complete with Gerunds

Instructions: Fill in each blank with an appropriate gerund:

1. __ (hike) in the mountains is my favourite weekend activity.
2. She enjoys ______ (paint) landscapes in her free time.
3. __ (travel) abroad can be an eye-opening experience.
4. He is interested in ______ (learn) new languages.
5. The key to success is ______ (work) hard and stay focused.

Answers:

1. Hiking in the mountains is my favourite weekend activity.
2. She enjoys painting landscapes in her free time.
3. Travelling abroad can be an eye-opening experience.
4. He is interested in learning new languages.
5. The key to success is working hard and staying focused.

Free Gerund Exercises: Download Worksheet in English 

Take a look at this gerund exercises worksheet which we have prepared for students to test their knowledge. You can easily save and download this worksheet and use it for future reference. We have also provided answers in the end.

Check Answers:

1. Listening
2. To go
3. Eating
4. Playing
5. To be
6. To travel
7. Learning
8. To help
9. Going
10. Flying
11. Forgetting
12. To buy
13. To visit
14. Seeing
15. Making
16. To learn
17. Smoking
18. To buy
19. Opening
20. Moving

Bonus Gerund Exercises

Here are some bonus gerund exercises along with their answers to help reinforce your understanding of gerunds.

Exercise: Fill in the Blanks

Instructions: Complete the sentences with the correct gerund form of the verbs in parentheses.

1. Humming ______ (calm) my pre-exam nerves.
2. ______ (cycle) is a fun activity and a good form of exercise.
3. I’m in the habit of ______ (write) every day.
4. ______ (meditate) helps clear her mind.
5. Peter turned off his phone to focus on ______ (study).

Answers:

1. Humming calms my pre-exam nerves.
2. Cycling is a fun activity and a good form of exercise.
3. I’m in the habit of writing every day.
4. Meditating helps clear her mind.
5. Peter turned off his phone to focus on studying.

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FAQs on Gerund Exercises

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