Gerunds

Playing

Running Working Studying Seeing

Drinking Making Going Buying

Shopping

Exercising is

good for you.

Yes, it is very relaxing.

Gerunds

Voting is an important responsibility.

I love books. I love books. reading

Gerunds

I enjoy speaking in

public. I go running on

the beach.

Gerunds

Gerunds represent activities such as, habits, hobbies, routines and recreational activities.

Sometimes gerunds represent adjectives (descriptions).

Form

work

improve

-ing

-ing

=

=

working

improving

verbverb nounnoun-ing-ing

pay -ing = paying

+

+

+

=+

A gerund is the base form of a verb + -ing.Gerunds can be used as nouns.

Gerunds

1.- Gerunds can be used as the subject of a sentence (the principal idea).

Smoking is bad for you. Eating junk food isn’t healthy.

Reading is fun. Learning English is difficult.

2.- Gerunds can be used after some specific verbs and expressions such as: love, like, enjoy, (be) crazy about, can’t stand, hate etc.

She loves reading. Mark’s crazy about singing.

We like cooking barbecue. I hate waking up early.

Gerunds

3.- Gerunds can be used to describe some recreational activities. We normally use “go + gerund”

Go running Go dancing Go camping Go skating

Go hiking Go shopping Go bowling Go swimming

4.- Gerunds can be used as adjectives (descriptions) to describe nouns.

Interesting- This class is interesting.

Boring- Math class is boring.

Amazing- Dolphins are amazing animals.

Don’t confuse gerunds with thepresent progressive verb form.

Be Careful!

Voting is an important responsibility.

I am voting today.

present progressive

gerund

subject

verb

is an important responsibility.

a candidate takes time.

Voting

Choosing

singular subject

Gerunds as Subjects

A gerund can be the subject of a sentence. It is always singular. Use a third-person singular verb after a gerund.

Windsurfing

Complete the sentences with gerunds.

Example: __________ is very exciting.

Practice 1

1. __________ makes me laugh.

2. __________ gives me a headache.

3. __________ isn’t polite.

4. __________ is popular in my country.

5. __________ destroys the environment.

6. Not __________ can be dangerous.

Gerunds as Objects

I suggest improving our schools.

I enjoy working for the people.

suggest

enjoy

verb object

verb object

A gerund can be the object of certain verbs.

watching birds

Complete the dialogues with gerund phrases.Practice 2

1. A: I need a ride to the airport.

B: I don’t mind ____________.

2. A: Dad, can I go outside and play?

B: Have you finished ____________.

3. A: Why did Javier look so sad today?

B: I think he really misses _____________.

Example:

A: Why do Christophe and Hiro go hiking so often?

B: They both enjoy ____________.

Gerunds with Go

Ali went jogging with his dog.

Our family goes bowling every Saturday.

We often use go + gerund to describe activities.

1. 2.

Ask a partner how often he or she does these activities.Practice 3

How often do you go dancing?

How often do you go dancing? I go dancing

every night.

I go dancing every night.

Ask a partner how often he or she does these activities.Practice 4

3.

4.

5.