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Gerund phrases act like nouns within a sentence, letting you talk about doing things as whole ideas. They take an action word (like “reading”) and turn it into something you can treat such a noun (like “the act of reading”). These “verb-nouns” usually come with extra words to create a phrase, like “enjoying travelling.” They can be subjects or objects or explain why you do something! In this blog, you will learn about meaning, formation, and examples of gerund phrases.
This Blog Includes:
Meaning of Gerund Phrases
A gerund is a word formed by adding an ‘ing’ to the end of the main/root verb and takes the place of a noun in the sentence in which it is used. Also, it can be seen to perform the function of a noun in a sentence. Moreover, it can also be said a phrase consisting of a gerund, its objects and other modifiers. So any phrase having a gerund and performing the part of the subject or object in the sentence can be considered a gerund phrase.
Also read: Present Participle Phrases with their Functions and Examples
Formation of Gerund Phrase
Forming a gerund phrase is much easier than you think. One can make use of a gerund or a gerund phrase in a sentence when one likes to speak of an action but refers to it as a noun. Let’s suppose, you are conveying the fact that you like to play hockey during your free time, you can say, ‘Playing hockey is my favourite relaxation time activity’ or ‘I like playing hockey in my relaxation time.’
Gerund Phrase Usage
Have a look at the aspects that students have to think about when forming and using gerund phrases in your blog:
- Firstly, while forming gerund phrases keep in mind that gerunds act like nouns and not verbs.
- Secondly, gerund phrases should be placed at the start or end of the sentence as they accept the place of a subject or object within the sentence.
- Unlike other types of phrases, there is no need for a comma or any additional punctuation mark to be especially utilised before or after the gerund phrase.
- Gerund phrases should begin with a gerund, and in most cases, it is observed by a preposition and a noun. So other modifiers and determiners can be utilised to form a gerund phrase.
- Lastly, as far as the subject-verb agreement is concerned, keep in mind that even if the gerund has a plural noun, the gerund phrase is singular.
17+ Examples of Gerund Phrases
Here are some examples of gerund phrases that can referred to:
- Trying new cafes is a fun way to explore different places.
- She dislikes waking up early on weekends.
- The best part of the trip was exploring the streets.
- Learning a new language can unlock the door to new cultures.
- Practising regularly is key to enhancing your skills.
- We stopped to get gas on the way to my friend’s home.
- Helping others brings her a sense of pridefulness.
- Reading in bed is a cosy way to de-stress before sleep.
- Going for a walk in nature clears my head.
- His dream is to become a scientist.
- We postponed leaving for vacation due to heavy snowfall.
- Avoid touching the hot pan with your barren hands.
- They apologise for interrupting your conversation.
- Making a sandcastle kept the kids occupied for hours.
- There is nothing like the feeling of achieving a goal.
- Dancing the night out is a wonderful way to celebrate.
- They discussed redecorating the bedroom.
- My favourite thing to do is spend time with friends.
- She appreciates you taking the time to help her.
- Remembering to take your medication is necessary for your health.
Gerund Phrase Exercise
Instruction: Pick out the gerund phrase in the below sentences
- He enjoys ____________ (read) fiction novels in his free time.
- ____________ (run) in the park is a great way to stay fit.
- She avoided ____________ (answer) the difficult question.
- ____________ (dance) to the music is her favourite hobby.
- He discussed ____________ (travel) to Paris this winter.
- ____________ (cook) lunch together can be a fun activity for couples.
- They’re tired of ____________ (wait) for the bus every morning.
- ____________ (paint) landscapes relax him after a long hectic day.
- ____________ (play) video game is a popular pastime among youngsters.
- He apologized for ____________ (forget) to call his friend on his birthday.
Answer
- reading
- Running
- answering
- Dancing
- travelling
- Cooking
- waiting
- Painting
- Playing
- forgetting
Related Reads
FAQs
For example, reading a book is a gerund phrase because reading a newspaper is a group of words that starts with a gerund, reading, and a newspaper is an object for reading.
Gerunds are created by adding -ing at the end of the verb. For example, Lighting the candles helped the mood. The gerund is the word lighting. This gerund derives from the infinitive root verb “to light” and ends in -ing.
Below is the list of rules for making a verb into a gerund:
You have the opportunity to add the “ing” at the end of the verb and make it a gerund.
Remove the “e” from the verb where it comes at the end and add the “ing.”
Eliminate the “ie” from the verb where it comes at an end and add the “y” and then “ing.”
This was all about gerund phrases, meaning, usage, examples and more in English grammar. Hope you understand the concept and know how to proceed. You can also follow the page of Leverage Edu for more exciting and informative blogs.
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