Mini-Lesson #9Subject-Verb Agreement: Gerunds as Subjects

From the UWF Writing lab’s 101 grammar mini-lessons series

What is a gerund?

• 1. Gerunds are –ing verb forms.

• 2. They serve as nouns in a sentence.

• 3. Gerunds require singular verb forms (verbs that end in –s or –es), regardless of whether the object of the gerund is plural.

So what does that mean?

Incorrect: Jumping hurdles are not easy.

Correct: Jumping hurdles is not easy.

* The subject is jumping, not hurdles.

Let’s give it a whirl! Eating tuna with chocolate

syrup and pecans (make/makes) her sick.

Makes

*The singular subject is the gerund eating, not chocolate syrup and pecans.

Is this sentence correct?

Going out with Roscoe and his cronies is the dumbest thing I ever did.

Yes, it is.

One more time!Wearing seat belts (is/are) not just a good idea; it’s the law.

is