Understanding gerunds and how to use them

Gerunds, essential parts of the English language, look like verbs but are actually nouns. You’ve likely encountered them in writing without identifying them, because they straddle the division between two of the most basic grammatical elements of the English language. If you want to become a grammar master, learning what a gerund is and when to use them is essential.

What is a gerund?

A gerund is a verb that functions as a noun, rather than an action, as most verbs do. While verbs are words that describe actions or states of being, and nouns are words that refer to a person, place, or thing, gerunds are often used to discuss ideas or concepts rather than specific actions.

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Gerunds are easy to identify because they always end in -ing. Here are some examples of gerunds used in sentences:

Hiking is my favorite pastime.

In the above sentence, hiking is the gerund.

My son loves napping.

In the above sentence, napping is the gerund.

How to use a gerund

In a sentence, a gerund can serve as:

The subject
The direct object
The indirect object
The subject complement
The object complement
The object of preposition

Here’s an example of a gerund as the subject of a sentence:

Cooking is my biggest challenge.

Here’s an example of a gerund used as the direct object:

Her father enjoys reading.

As a reminder, the direct object answers who or what and receives the action. In this case, reading answers what her father enjoys doing.

Here’s an example of a gerund being used as the indirect object:

The music instructor taught the students singing.

As a reminder, the indirect object is what receives the direct object. In this case, the students are the direct object.

Here’s an example of a gerund being used as the subject complement of a sentence:

My latest passion is singing.

As a reminder, subject complements come after linking verbs (like is, are, was, and can be) and describe the subject.

Here’s an example of a gerund being used as the object complement:

Alyssa stopped vaping last year.

Object complements describe or rename the direct object. In this case, Alyssa is the direct object.

Here’s an example of a gerund being used as the object of preposition:

She wanted to learn more about driving a car with manual transmission.

As a reminder, the object of preposition is the word or phrase that comes after a preposition. In this sentence, “driving” is the gerund and object of a preposition.

Gerunds vs. the present participle

It’s important to understand the difference between present participles and gerunds, which are often confused. Both present participles and gerunds end in I. Remember that present participles function as a verb or an adjective while gerunds function as a noun. You can usually identify the present participle by looking for any form of the helping verb “be.” For example:

I am trying to read.

The above sentence uses the present participle, not a gerund. “Am” is the verb that gives you a hint that it’s the present participle.

He is waiting for the doctor.

In the above sentence, the linking verb “is” gives us the hint that the sentence uses a present participle and not a gerund.

Remember: the present participle is used for things that are actively happening. Gerunds are used to describe verbs as things or concepts rather than present actions.

At first, gerunds can be a little confusing, but you don’t have to worry about identifying them or using them in the future. Now you have the tips you need to use and identify gerunds with confidence. For more advice grammatical elements that you might have forgotten about, check out these writing tips.