Gerund phrase

a. Definition of gerund phrase

Before knowing the definition of a gerund phrase, let's have a session on what "Gerund" and "Phrase" are.

Gerund
Gerund is a verb or verb that functions to be used as a noun. The gerund is actually almost the same as the
Present Participle. But what distinguishes it is the gerund word difference, while the present participle is
an adjective.
The term gerund comes from a term in Latin, namely gerere which means to continue. The term was first
used for traditional grammar. However, eventually contemporary linguists added the -ing suffix instead.
In addition, the gerund can stand alone if it is used as a subject or is called a Gerund Phrase.
Also, what differentiates gerunds from the others is that they do not accept inflections of other words.
Inflection means forming a new word by adding affixes to the word, but not changing the class of the
word. So, even though a word is prefixed with -ing, its function is still as a noun.
for example: : Eating, Riding, Writing and so on

Phrase
Phrase or phrase in English is defined as a term in grammar that refers to a group of words that are not
included in the category of subject and verb.

In other words, a phrase is a combination or pair of various English words that have meaning but are not
subject + verb (S + V) pattern. As we know, a clause needs a subject + verb pair but not a phrase.
There is no limit that determines the length or shortness of a phrase so that a phrase can be long or short,
one thing that is certain is that a phrase always has more than one word.
Phrases are added to a sentence to make the sentence more complex.
A concept sentence can begin with a word and develop into a compound sentence with clauses and
phrases.
There are 9 types of phrases in English that you need to know, including the following:

 1. Noun phrases

A noun phrase consists of a noun and its modifier, the head being a noun or a noun.
Example: delicious food, sweet cake, big car, bird on the tree, stove in the kitchen.
Head: food, cake, car, bird, stove
Modifiers: delicious, sweet, big, on the tree, in the kitchen

 2. Adverbial phrases

An adverb phrase is a phrase that acts as an adverb or adverb, the head of which is an adverb or adverb.
This phrase modifies a verb, adverb, or adjective.
Example: extremely beautiful, after the lunch, too much, absolutely great, a little bit afraid.

Head: beautiful, the lunch, much, great, afraid

Modifier: extremely, after, too, absolutely, a little bit

 3. Verb phrases

A verb phrase consists of a verb and its modifier, the head being a verb or verbs. It almost forms a
sentence but the verb phrase does not have a subject or subjects.
Example: learn quickly, come late, study hard, buy a new dress, jump over the cliff

Head: learn, come, study, buy, jump

Modifier: quick, late, hard, a new dress, over the cliff

 4. Gerund phrases

Gerund phrases are generally in the form of noun phrases or noun phrases whose head is a gerund.
Example: walking in the crowd on the street, singing to the song, horse riding, shouting the boy, telling
stories

Head: walking, singing, dancing, riding, shouting, telling

Modifier: the crowd street, the song, horse, the boy, story

 5. Infinitive phrases
This type of phrase starts with an infinitive verb (to + verb/property/description), infinitive phrases can
function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. The head of this phrase is to infinitive.

Example:

To wake up early I need to set an alarm.

To call mom, I need a phone
I should save my money to go abroad
She drinks coffee not to sleep
Nina and Nino studied hard to get scholarships.

Head: to wake up, to call, to go, to sleep, to get

Modifier: early, mom, abroad, sleep, scholarship
 6. Appositive phrases

Basically, an appositive phrase is a noun phrase, but this phrase replaces the name of another noun in a
sentence.
Example:
The cat, a brown and cute angora, is jumping to the rooftop.
The cake is made of a lot of sugar, a sweet cupcake.

Heads: angora, cupcakes

Modifier: brown and cute, sweet

 7. Participle phrases

This phrase begins with the present (-ing) or 3 participle verb. These phrases function as adjectives. The
head is in the form of a participle (verb + ing / verb 3 which acts as an adjective, adverb, and verb)

Example:
The girl writing a letter to her is me
The cake that was given to me was delicious
The birds chirped in the garden harmoniously this morning
Head: writing, given, chirped
Modifiers: a letter, me, garden

 8. Prepositional phrases

Is a group of words that includes prepositions (prepositions) and nouns. This phrase functions as an
adjective or adverb. The head is in the form of a preposition while the modifier is the object of the
preposition.
Example: before evening, at home, with her, for you, under the stairs

Head: before, at, with, for, under

Modifier: evening, home, her, you, the stairs

 9. Exclamatory phrases

Phrases whose heads are exclamatory words or exclamatory words.

Examples: how hard it is, what a bright day, how far, how long, what a smart kid

Head: how, what, how, how, what

Modifiers: hard, bright day, far, long, smart kid

b. Introductory of Gerund Phrase.

Gerund phrases add more detail to nouns. A gerund phrase cannot be formed completely without an
additional object, modifier, or both. Gerund phrases function as subject, object, subject complement or
object complement, for example.

1. Gerund phrases as a subject of a sentence.

Gerunds are often used as subjects in sentences to talk about activities, habits, facts, or opinions. The
gerund is always singular. The verb that follows is the third person singular (is, has, or verb+s).
For example:
 Eating after midnight is a bad habit.

 Riding my bike around town is my favorite hobby.

 Eating blackberries quickly is a bad idea

2. Gerund phrase as objects of a sentence

Gerund as object or gerund as object, means that the gerund functions as an object subjected to behavior.
So, in a sentence, the gerund position comes after the verb.
For example:
 I hope that he stops his singing.

 Tim enjoys running with scissors.

 She hates waiting for trains.

3. Gerund phrase as the subject complement of a sentence. For example:

 My plan is teaching her some healthy tips.

 Her biggest mistake was caring too much about the quality of the product.

4. Gerund phrase as object complement of a sentence. For example:

 You should feel ashamed for giving bribes to win the election.

 Pablo’s favorite hobby is playing the piano.

 She knew a lot about growing tomatoes in cold climates.

c. Function of gerund phrase.

Gerund phrase has functioned as a noun, so that it can become a subject, object, and complement in a
sentence. Not only that, the gerund can also function as a preposition. So, actually the gerund is a verb,
but its position in the sentence makes it look like a noun. Here's the use of gerund phrases Use of gerund
phrases:

Example:

 You should feel ashamed for giving bribes to win the election.
 Pablo's favorite hobby is playing the piano.
 She knew a lot about growing tomatoes in cold climates.