4 Types Of Gerunds

A gerund is one of three classes of words called verbals – words based on verbs and expressing an action or a state
of being but serving another grammatical function. (The other two are participles and infinitives).

The four types of gerunds follow :

1. Gerund as subject

If a gerund is used as the subject, then it can be stand alone of the phrase, as in the following examples :

- Reading helps you learn English.

- Smoking is not good for our health.
- Swimming is a good sport.
- Studying is a hard work
In sentences above reading, smoking, swimming, studying, and playing are the subject of the verb is
because they function as a noncountable noun, it is followed by the singular verb is.
- Gardening is my favorite hobby. (Gardening is normally a verb, but here it is the name of an activity.)
- Gardening in the summertime is a challenge because of the heat. (The gerund is followed by a
modifying adverbial phrase, forming a gerund phrase.)

2. Gerunds as Direct Object

Gerunds are used as a direct object in a sentence, as in the following examples :
- Some students enjoy studying.
- She likes shopping.
- Would you mind closing the door?
- Bob finished studying at midnight.
In sentence, studying, shopping, and closing are the object of the verb enjoy, likes, mind, and finished,
a verb that is followed by a gerund form of another verb.
- My neighbors admire my gardening. (The admiration is not for the action of gardening, but for the
results of the action.)
- I am enjoying my gardening this year. (The direct object of the subject is ‘my gardening this year’.)
Common verbs followed by a gerund. Decapua, (2008:432)

acknowledge defer enjoy Miss

Anticipate Delay Escape Postpone
Anticipate Deplore Finish Quit
Appreciate Deny Imagine Recall
Avoid Detest Keep Recommended
Consider Dislike Mention Recollect
Complete Discuss Mind Regret
Defend Endure Resent Resist
Resume Risk Suggest Stop
Tolerate
Examples in sentences :

- She acknowledge receiving assistance.

- The admitted falsifying the data.
- He anticipates having trouble with his supervisor.
- I appreciated having a chance to read your draft.
- He avoided answering my question.
- They will consider granting your money.
- I finally completed writing my thesis.
- The lawyer defended her making such statements.
- I tolerated her talking.
- She deferred writing her report.
 - We delayed reporting the results until we were sure.
- They denied copying the information.
- She dislikes working after 5 pm.
- We discussed working at the company.
- She risks losing her viewing time.
- We enjoy hiking.
- He finished doing his homework.
- He imagines working there one day.
- She kept interrupting me.
- The author mentions seeing this event.
- I don’t mind helping you.
- He resented spending so much time on the project.
- I suggest repeating the experiment.
- She misses living near the beach.
- The committee has postponed writing the report.
- Brian quit smoking.
- I can not recall getting those results before.
- She recommends reading Marx.
- She recollected living in Kenya.
- She regretted saying that.
- The writer resists giving any easy answers.
- She stopped working at 5 o'clock.

Common verbs followed by a gerund : No change in meaning. Decapua, (2008: 432)

Attempt Deserve Intend Prefer

Begin Dislike Like Propose
Cease Dread Love Start
Can’t stand Hate Neglect Undertake
Continue Hesitate

Examples in sentences:

- I began learning Chinese.

- The government ceased providing free healthcare.
- He can’t stand her smoking in the office.
- He continued talking.
- She dislikes working after 5 pm.
- She dreads getting up at 5 am.
- I hate cleaning the bathroom.
- She likes listening to music.
- I love swimming.
- Sometimes she neglects doing her homework.
- He prefers sitting at the back of the movie theater.
- I proposed having lunch at the beach.
- He started studying harder.

Common verbs followed by a gerund: with change in meaning, Decapua, (2008: 432)

Attempt Forget Mean Refret

Remember Stop Try Propose
Examples in sentences:

- I forgot giving you my book.

- I remember telling her the address yesterday.
- She stopped working at 5 o'clock.
 - Sam tried opening the lock with a paperclip.
- I proposed having lunch at the beach.
3. Object of preposition

Gerund is used as a object of the preposition situated after prepositions. Prepositions are often used are of, on, no,
with, without, at, for, after, before, because of, to, like, about, by and in. Using gerund as the objects of preposition,
As in the following examples:

- She is always fond of talking.

- In sleeping I met you in the park.
- Nothing stops Lucy from studying.
- They went on arguing.
- I have no objection to hearing your story.
- They are good at telling funny stories.

In sentences above, talking, sleeping, studying, arguing, hearing and telling are the object of the preposition of, in,
from, on, to and at.

- I have received several awards for my gardening. (The awards have been given for the results of the
activity.)
- Some people consider my interest in gardening an obsession. (The gerund phrase is ‘gardening an
obsession’.)

4. Subject Complement

Gerund can be used as subject complement. Gerund as a complement of the subject in a sentence is usually always
preceded to be located between the subject and the subjective complement. For examples:

- Lucy’s favorite activity is studying.

- Lucy’s favorite activity is studying English grammar.
- Rina’s hobby is swimming.
- Her favorite sport is reading.

In sentences above, studying, swimming and reading are subject complement because they are
renaming or identifying the subject of the verb.

- My favorite hobby is gardening. (Again, gardening is described as something done, not the act of doing
it. The statement is the inverse of the first sentence in this group; here “My favorite hobby” is the
subject, and “gardening in the morning” is the subject complement.