LESSON 32: GERUND PHRASES - Cloud Object … 32: GERUND PHRASES Review & Lesson • Phrases are groups of word, without both a subject and a verb, functioning as single parts of speech

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LESSON 32: GERUND PHRASES Review & Lesson

• Phrases are groups of word, without both a subject and a verb, functioning as single parts of speech.

o Prepositional phrases act as adjectives or adverbs and verb phrases act as verbs.

• Gerunds are words that are formed from verbs and act as nouns. They end in -ing.

If you mixed those two definitions together, you'd get a gerund phrase, and that is our next topic!

A gerund phrase is made of a gerund and any word(s) that modify or complement it. The whole phrase acts as one noun.

Examples: Swimming in the ocean is fun. She loves reading quickly.

Swimming in the ocean is a gerund phrase acting as the subject of the sentence. In the ocean is an adverbial prepositional phrase modifying the gerund swimming.

Reading quickly is a gerund phrase acting as the direct object of the sentence. Quickly is a one-word adverb modifying the gerund reading.

Both of those gerunds are being modified by adverbs!

Do you notice anything fishy? Gerunds are nouns, and in both of those examples, they are being modified by adverbs!

Wait! Adverbs don't modify nouns. What's going on here?

Since gerunds are formed from verbs, they maintain some of their "verbness" even though they act as nouns.

What do you know about verbs?

• They are modified by adverbs.

• They sometimes have direct objects, predicate nouns, or predicate adjectives.

• They have subjects.

Guess what? Gerunds can be modified by adverbs, they can have complements (direct objects, predicate nouns, and predicate adjectives), and they can even have "subjects"! Gerunds really are a mix between nouns and verbs!

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Gerund Phrase

Gerund

Complements or Modifiers

The Gerund

Phrase Acts As

(Which Noun Job?)

She loves reading novels quickly.

reading

Novels is the direct object of reading. Quickly is an adverb modifying reading.

Direct Object

Swimming in the

ocean is fun.

Swimming

In the ocean is an adverbial prepositional phrase modifying swimming.

Subject

Finding a needle in a haystack is difficult.

Finding

Needle is the direct object of finding, and a is modifying needle. In a haystack is an adverbial prepositional phrase modifying finding.

Subject

I enjoy running

marathons.

running

Marathons is the direct object of running.

Direct Object

She loves Mary's cooking.

cooking

Mary's is the "subject" of cooking.* When gerunds have "subjects," they are in the possessive form. Notice that it's Mary's and not Mary.

Direct Object

Diagramming Gerund Phrases

Diagram the gerund as you normally would. Use the examples on the following page to see how to diagram the gerund’s complements (direct object…) and modifiers (adverbs…).

The good news is that you already know how to diagram all of these things! Just pretend that the gerund is a normal verb (on a step), and diagram everything as you normally would.


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In all of these examples, the gerund phrase is acting as the subject, but remember that gerund phrases can perform any of the noun jobs (direct object, object of the preposition...).

Diagramming Gerund Phrases

Gerund + Adverb

Gerund + Direct Object

Gerund + Predicate Noun/ Predicate Adjective

Gerund + Prepositional Phrase

Gerund + "Subject"


Here is an example of a gerund phrase acting as a subject.

This gerund phrase has a direct object with an adjective and a prepositional phrase. Wow!

Finding a needle in a haystack is difficult.


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Lesson 32 Sentence Diagramming Exercises

1. Running with scissors is a bad idea.

Key

Running with scissors is a bad idea. sentence - statement

Running with scissors subject (gerund phrase) (noun)

Running gerund

with scissors prepositional phrase modifying gerund

with preposition

scissors object of the preposition (noun)

is verb (intransitive linking)

idea predicate noun

a, bad adjectives


2. Oh no! I hate washing the dishes.

Key

Oh no! I had washing the dishes. sentence - statement

Oh no interjection

I subject (pronoun)

hate verb (transitive active)

washing the dishes direct object (gerund phrase) (noun)

washing gerund

dishes direct object of gerund (noun)

the adjective


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3. I set a record for winning five races in a row.

Key

I set a record for winning five races in a row.

sentence - statement

I subject (pronoun)

set verb (transitive active)

record direct object (noun)

a adjective

for winning five races in a row

prepositional phrase (adjective) (modifying record and answering What kind?) * You could also have this phrase acting as an adverb modifying set. As an adverb, it would tell us how the record was set.

for preposition

winning five races in a row object of the preposition (gerund phrase) (noun)

winning gerund

races direct object of gerund (noun)

five adjective

in a row prepositional phrase (adverb)

in preposition

row object of the preposition (noun)

a adjective


4. Swimming in the ocean is fun.

Key

Swimming in the ocean is fun. sentence - statement

Swimming in the ocean subject (gerund phrase) (noun)

Swimming gerund

in the ocean prepositional phrase (adverb)

in preposition

ocean object of the preposition (noun)

the adjective

is verb (intransitive linking)

fun predicate adjective


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5. I love being your teacher.

Key

I love being your teacher. sentence - statement

I subject (pronoun)

love verb (transitive active)

being your teacher direct object (gerund phrase) (noun)

being gerund

teacher predicate noun (of gerund) (noun)

your adjective

Extra Practice: Diagramming Gerunds & Gerund Phrases Directions: Diagram the following sentences on a separate sheet of paper. Teachers, the answers are on the next page.

1. Eating broccoli is good for you.

2. My teachers and my parents hate whining.

3. I need my license for driving the car.

4. I love singing and dancing.

5. My job is timing the races.


Lesson 32 Extra Practice Answers

Diagramming Gerunds & Gerund Phrases

1. Eating broccoli is good for you.

2. My teachers and my parents hate

whining.

3. I need my license for driving the car.

4. I love singing and dancing.

5. My job is timing the races.


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LESSON 32: GERUND PHRASES - Cloud Object … 32: GERUND PHRASES Review & Lesson • Phrases are groups of word, without both a subject and a verb, functioning as single parts of speech