Lesson Eighteen
Gerunds
Gerunds, like infinitives, look like verbs, but they actually function as nouns. Consider the following sentences:
Gerunds are often confused with verbs. Because gerunds take an “ing” ending, some students mistake them for verbs in the continuous form. If you don’t see the verb “be” in front of a word with an “ing” ending, it’s probably a gerund. For example, which sentence has a gerund?:
If you said the first sentence, you’re correct! The second sentence is in the present continuous tense. The second video at the bottom of this page can provide you with more help in understanding the difference between gerunds and verbs that appear in continuous tenses. |
Watch this video:
examples
I like listening to the radio. (Gerunds are often used after the verb “like.”) |  |
| He likes eating popcorn when he goes to see a movie. |  |
Playing in the snow is one of life’s greatest pleasures. (Gerunds commonly appear at the beginning of a sentence. They are easier to use than infinitives in this position.) |  |
Drinking coffee in the morning is one of my favorite things to do. |  |
He finds playing the guitar to be relaxing. |  |
Now do you understand the differences between gerunds and infinitives?
If not, go back to Lesson Seventeen
One more thing: Don’t confuse gerunds with the present continuous tense!
Exercise
Part A.
Directions: In each sentence, change the infinitive to a gerund.
example: It’s easy to get lost in here.
Getting lost in here is easy.
1. It’s hard to learn English.
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2. It’s necessary to do a good job.
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3. It will take a long time to drive to New York.
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4. It wasn’t a good idea to eat all that ice cream.
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5. It feels wrong to take her money for so little work.
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6. It won’t hurt to work a few extra hours today.
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7. It’s crucial to get this into the mail today.
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8. It will be fun to see them.
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9. It was painful to watch them lose the game.
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10.It didn’t take long to fly to Chicago.
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Part B.
Directions: In each sentence, change the gerund to an infinitive.
example: Riding a bike without a helmet is not safe.
It’s not safe to ride a bike without a helmet.
1. Learning how to cook is easy.
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2. Working long hours is common in the United States.
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3. Fishing in the summer is fun.
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4. Shopping for groceries without a list is a bad idea.
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5. Driving without a seat belt feels kind of strange to me.
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6. Waking up early in the morning is good for you.
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7. Saving money for the future is necessary.
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8. Helping someone learn another language takes time.
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9. Carrying too much weight hurts your body.
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10. Listening to music is fun.
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