Gerunds and infinitives by https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1 en-us 2022-11-20 21:36:49 UTC 2022-11-22 11:41:54 UTC hello@padlet.com They bonded over their shared love of hiking. I hope to set a new record in swimming. What do these two sentences have in common? They both end in verbs, but those verbs aren’t just verbs. They’re gerunds. Think about what these verbs are doing for a moment—they aren’t describing the action in these sentences like verbs normally do. That’s because gerunds don’t describe action—they act as nouns. 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391701494 2022-11-20 21:39:23 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391701494 Gerunds are a flexible, useful type of word because they enable us to speak and write about actions in a more abstract way, positioning those actions as reasons for specific outcomes, hobbies, and receivers of subjects’ actions. 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391701795 2022-11-20 21:40:07 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391701795 What is a gerund and what is its function? A gerund (pronounced JER-und) is a verb that’s acting as a noun. By that, we mean that the verb—the word that describes the action that’s happening, like “biking,” “thinking,” “running,” or “speaking”—becomes a thing, a concept that can now be the sentence’s subject, direct object, indirect object, or the object of a preposition. 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391702226 2022-11-20 21:41:15 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391702226 It doesn’t stop being a verb, but the role it plays in a sentence shifts from describing the action to being a focal point. Here are two examples of sentences that contain gerunds:As a food blogger, eating is an involved production for Shoshanna. Fazal turned off his phone and shut the door so he could focus on studying. 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391703315 2022-11-20 21:42:51 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391703315 As you see in these examples, gerunds are verbs in the present participle form. This means they’re the root verb + “ing”:SeeingCrammingWondering 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391704248 2022-11-20 21:45:06 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391704248 But that’s not what makes them gerunds. To be a gerund, a verb has to act as a noun in its sentence. Present participle verbs are not gerunds when they describe the action in a sentence, like the verbs in these: She is seeing the painting for the first time. As I was walking to school, I tripped on uneven pavement. 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391704419 2022-11-20 21:45:31 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391704419 Gerunds aren’t the only instance where a word (or group of words) plays a role that’s typically taken on by another type of word. For example, an adverbial clause is a clause that functions as an adverb. An adjective phrase is a phrase that describes a noun the way an adjective typically does. 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391704806 2022-11-20 21:46:18 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391704806 Gerund phrasesA gerund phrase is a phrase that contains a gerund and a modifier or an object and, in some cases, both of these. Here are three examples of gerund phrases:Apologizing to themUnderground exploringRunning with scissors 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391709138 2022-11-20 21:56:52 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391709138 A gerund phrase, just like a gerund, acts as a noun in a sentence. Take a look at how these gerund phrases play this role: Apologizing to them is important to me. My brother enjoys underground exploring with his friends.I don’t advise running with scissors at this time (or ever). 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391709317 2022-11-20 21:57:17 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391709317 A phrase is a small group of words that communicates a concept but can’t be an independent sentence on its own. There are lots of different kinds of phrases in English, like verb phrases, adjective phrases, prepositional phrases, and noun phrases. 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391710070 2022-11-20 21:58:52 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391710070 Gerunds can also be used in conjunction with phrasal verbs, two-word phrases that combine a verb and an adverb or preposition to communicate a unique concept that can’t be expressed by either of the words individually. Common phrasal verbs include:Figure out,Check intoTake over 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391710423 2022-11-20 21:59:44 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391710423 And here are a few sentences that demonstrate how phrasal verbs and gerunds can work together:Try as I might, I just can’t figure out programming.I’m worried my mother-in-law will take over cooking when she arrives. 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391711094 2022-11-20 22:00:57 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391711094 Types of gerundsThere are six types of gerunds:1 Subject: Biking is my newest hobby.2 Subject complement: My preferred commuting method is biking. 3 Direct object: I love biking.4 Indirect object: My sister gave biking a try.5 Object complement: I see myself biking every day. 6 Object of a preposition: I blocked out a few hours this Sunday for biking. 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391711340 2022-11-20 22:01:39 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391711340 Gerunds are almost as versatile as actual nouns. Just like nouns, they can be replaced by pronouns: Biking is my newest hobby, so I blocked out a few hours on Sunday for it. 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391711561 2022-11-20 22:02:18 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391711561 Gerunds and infinitives,Gerunds aren’t the only kind of verb that act as nouns. When you need to use a verb as a noun, you can also turn it into an infinitive. 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391711855 2022-11-20 22:03:01 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391711855 An infinitive is the word “to” + a verb’s root. There are two ways you can use an infinitive: as a noun that communicates a single concept and as an adjective to describe a noun within the sentence. Here are a few examples, with infinitives bolded: I brought us some lemonade to drink with lunch. (adjective)To err is human. (noun)I hope there are magazines to read in the waiting room. (adjective)We love to travel, but we couldn’t afford it last year. (noun) 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391712056 2022-11-20 22:03:30 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391712056 As you can see, infinitives are similar to gerunds, but they aren’t exactly the same. In a sentence where the infinitive acts as a noun, you can easily swap in a gerund and it will still make sense:We love traveling, but we couldn’t afford it last year. Erring is human. 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391712312 2022-11-20 22:04:10 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391712312 But you can’t always go the other way—notably when the gerund is the object of a preposition: “I blocked out a few hours this Sunday for to bike.” You could remove the preposition in this sentence (“for”) and it would make sense: “I blocked out a few hours this Sunday to bike.” But if you do this, you no longer have a prepositional phrase. 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391712581 2022-11-20 22:04:51 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391712581 In contrast, some transitive verbs can work only with an infinitive. Take a look at these examples:I plan to dance(correct).I plan dancing(incorrect).They’ll decide to stay(correct).They’ll decide staying(incorrect). 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391713216 2022-11-20 22:06:34 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391713216 An easy rule to keep in mind is that you should use an infinitive when you’re discussing something that’s abstract, not real, or only might happen:That’s where she plans to propose. 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391713432 2022-11-20 22:07:06 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391713432 And use a gerund when you’re discussing something that’s specific, real, or has already happened:The attic was absolutely perfect for writing. 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391713590 2022-11-20 22:07:30 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391713590 How do you create a gerund?As we mentioned above, you create a gerund by adding “ing” to the end of a root verb. In other words, a gerund is in the present participle form—but remember, a verb in the present participle form isn’t automatically a gerund. 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391713873 2022-11-20 22:08:11 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391713873 Gerund examplesGerunds are incredibly versatile. Here are a few more examples of gerunds and gerund phrases in sentences:The students were more focused on passing the class than on learning.Running was key to Angela’s weight loss journey.She felt social work was her calling.We watched a PSA about the dangers of drunk driving. 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391714039 2022-11-20 22:08:37 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391714039 When you’re writing, whether it’s an essay, a short story, a blog post, or even an email or text message, you’ll probably naturally use gerunds. Next time you write something, challenge yourself to pick out the gerunds in your work. They can be tricky, but being able to recognize them will make you a stronger writer and reader. 2001110131 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391714289 2022-11-20 22:09:10 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2391714289 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2393995922 2022-11-22 11:22:03 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2393995922 https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2393997646 2022-11-22 11:23:41 UTC https://padlet.com/2001110131/r26qmszomfttw4e1/wish/2393997646