If you are not yet familiar with the gerund, and your level has already exceeded the Pre-Intermediate mark, then it is time to fix this matter. Just do not scroll through the entire article now and be afraid of its volumes. You are already here - there is no turning back! We will try to make your journey and acquaintance with this form of the verb as pleasant as possible. Let's do this!

What is a gerund

Gerund- a special form of the verb with the suffix -ing, which combines the features of a noun and a verb. And what distinguishes it from an ordinary noun is a slight shade of the meaning of a process. For example:

painting- drawing;
singing- singing;
playing- a game.

In Russian, there is no such thing as a gerund. One can only draw a parallel in meaning with verbal nouns with the suffixes “-(e) nie”, “-tie”, “-ka”, “-stvo”, etc., or verbs in an indefinite form. Look here:

Singing in the shower is his biggest joy. - Pe nie in his heart gives him the greatest joy. Or - His greatest joy - sing in the shower.

You don't have to be Sherlock to find a gerund in a text. You can easily find it by the characteristic ending "- ing". And there will be no exceptions.

About communion

However, the grammar would not be itself if everything were so simple. Present participle, it is also the participle of the present tense, also has the ending "-ing". Therefore, attention! Do not confuse: gerund is a word that comes from a verb, and acts as a noun. While participle present time in this role does not perform, but describes some other word. Here for comparison:

Susie hates somebody's singing in the middle of the night. - Susie can't stand someone else's singing in the middle of the night.

Here "singing" is a gerund, since it fulfills the role of an object that is characteristic of a noun.

Waiting for everyone to fall asleep, Mr. Crabster takes a shower and starts to sing. - waiting when everyone is asleep, Mr. Crabster takes a shower and begins to sing.

Here "waiting" is the present participle, as it describes Mr. Crabster's actions.

3. Verbs with the last stressed syllable and ending in "- r» also need a double last consonant. However, the stressed syllable should not contain diphthongs (sounds whose articulation implies a transition from one vowel sound type to another):

to sta r- star ring;
to wear to wear ing.

4. If there is a letter “-” at the end of the word l”, then it is always doubled, regardless of whether the last syllable is stressed or not.

to tel l- tel ling;
to sel l-sel ling.

5. If the infinitive ends with "- ie", they are replaced by "- y»:

to l ie-l y ing;
to d ie-d y ing.

The negative form is formed using the particle " not", which is placed before the gerund:

I prefer not waiting for too long. - I prefer not to wait too long.
The best thing for you now is not watching. - The best thing for you right now is not to look.

Gerund translation

Since there is no form similar to the gerund in Russian, it can be translated in different ways. There are 2 main ways to translate the gerund:

1) a noun that conveys the process: painting - drawing, reading - reading:

Counting cash helps him calm down. - Counting money calms him down.
playing the piano is her cup of tea. - Playing the piano is what she likes.

2) a verb, most often of an indefinite form: painting - to draw, reading - to read, and sometimes, if there is a pretext, a gerund - drawing, reading.

I am fond of reading books. - I like to read books.
He has gone without saying Goodbye. He left without saying goodbye.

Complex forms of the gerund are almost always translated by subordinate clauses.

Thank you for reading this article. - Thank you for reading this article.
Do you remember taking your umbrella with you? - Do you remember how you took an umbrella with you?

Do you feel how your brain boils? Yes, we are gaining momentum. So take a deep breath and scroll on.

Gerund forms

The gerund has a simple (Simple) and perfect (Perfect) forms, and can also be used in active and passive voice.

The simple form of the gerund ( simple gerund) is used for an action that occurs simultaneously with the action of the verb-predicate:

She likes visiting her friends. - She likes to visit her friends.
She likes being visited by her friends. She loves when her friends visit.

The perfect form of the gerund ( Perfect Gerund) is used for an action that precedes the action of the verb-predicate:

He is excited of having spoken to her. - He's thrilled to have spoken to her.
He is excited of having been spoken to. He's thrilled to have been spoken to.

Functions of the gerund in a sentence

Since the gerund is something between a verb and a noun, it can take on various functions in sentences. It can be an addition, a circumstance, a subject, a definition. Don't let these grammatical terms scare you, and if something is not entirely clear, then examples will help you.

• Subject:

Walking is very healthy. - Walking is very good for health.

• Prepositional addition:

Mary is fond of dancing. - She loves to dance.

• direct addition:

police officer minds your waiting here. - The policeman objects to your waiting here.

• Time condition:

On coming home Mr. Crabster came across his neighbor. - Upon returning home, Mr. Crabster ran into his neighbor.

• Circumstance of action:

Instead of doing her home task she watched "The Big Bang Theory". - Instead of doing her homework, she was watching The Big Bang Theory.

• Compound nominal predicate:

My husband's business is selling rabbits. - My husband's business is to sell rabbits.

• Definition:

Aliens liked her manner of speaking. - The aliens liked her way of speaking.

Use of the gerund

The gerund can be used after many verbs and adjectives with fixed prepositions. Let's take a look at the most common ones. Only get ready, because there is quite a lot to remember. In general, keep the following lists with you and use as a cheat sheet until these words finally settle in your head.

Verbs followed by only a gerund:

acknowledge- recognize, confirm;
admit- recognize, allow;
advise- advise;
allow- allow, permit;
anticipate- anticipate, expect;
appreciate- appreciate, evaluate, be grateful;
avoid- to avoid, evade;
be worth- worth something, deserve;
can't help- I can not, I can not (resist);
celebrate- celebrate;
consider- consider, consider;
defense- defend (sya), defend;
delay- delay, delay
detest- to hate
discontinue- stop, stop
discuss- discuss
dislike- not to love
dispute- quarrel, quarrel, question
dread- be afraid, fear
endure- endure, endure
enjoy- enjoy
escape- escape, escape, get rid of, avoid
evade- evade, avoid
explain- to explain;
fancy- to imagine, to wish, to want;
fear- afraid;
feel like- want to gather;
feign- pretend, pretend
finish- finish;
forgive- forgive;
give up- give up, give up
keep- continue;
mention- to mention;
mind- object (only in questions and negatives);
miss- miss;
necessitate- compel, make necessary;
omit- skip, do not include;
permit- allow, permit;
picture- depict, imagine;
postpone- postpone, reschedule
practice- to practice, to practice;
prevent- prevent, hinder, hinder;
put off- postpone;
recall- recall;
collect- remember, remember
recommend- recommend, advise;
report- inform, report;
resent- to be indignant, to be indignant;
resist- to resist, to refrain;
resume- summarize, sum up, resume;
risk- to risk;
shirk- evade, evade;
suggest- suggest;
support- support, promote;
tolerate- endure, allow;
understand- understand;
urge- encourage, convince, insist;
warrant- guarantee, vouch.

I suggest waiting for a better chance. - I suggest waiting for a better opportunity.
She burst out crying. - She burst into tears.
She risky her life taking that medicine. She risked her life taking that medicine.

Gerund after verbs with prepositions:

accuse of- To accuse of;
agree to- agree with;
blame for- blame for;
complain of- complain about;
consist in- be included in;
count on/upon- count on;
congratulations on- congratulate with;
depend on- depend on;
dream of- To dream of;
feel like- want to gather;
hear of- hear about;
insist on- insist on;
keep from- keep (sya) from;
look forward to- look forward to, look forward to;
look like- look like;
object to- object against;
persist in- persevere;
praise for- praise for;
prevent from- prevent from;
rely on- rely on;
result in- to lead to;
succeed in- succeed in;
suspect of- to suspect;
thanks for- give thanks for;
think of- to think about.

I don't feel like dancing with him. - I don't want to dance with him.
I "m looking forward to going to Italy. - I'm looking forward to a trip to Italy.
She suspected her boyfriend of deceiving her. She suspected that her boyfriend was cheating on her.

To be + adjective/participle + gerund:

be afraid of- to be afraid of something;
be ashamed of- be ashamed of something
be engaged in- to be busy with something;
be fond of- to love something, to be fond of something;
be good at- be capable of;
be interested in- be interested in something;
be pleased at- to be content;
be proud of- to be proud of something;
be responsible for- be responsible for;
be sorry for- to regret something;
be surprised at- to be surprised at something;
be tired of- tired of that or;
be used to- To get used to.

I'm tired of drinking champagne. - I'm tired of drinking champagne.
She is good at dancing the cha-cha. She is good at cha-cha-cha dancing.
I'm sorry for not coming. - I'm sorry I didn't come.

Gerund vs infinitive. Who will win?

In English, there are a number of verbs with which only the infinitive can be used, after some - only the gerund, while some verbs allow the use of both the infinitive and the gerund after themselves. To begin with, let's see what meaning is inherent in each of these rivals - the gerund and the infinitive. The following table will help you understand this.

Verbs followed by an infinitive or gerund without changing the meaning of sentences:

begin- start;
can't bear- do not endure, do not endure;
can't stand- do not tolerate;
continue- continue;
hate- to hate;
like- like, love;
love- be in love;
prefer- prefer;
propose- suggest;
start- start.

Mary hates to wait for anyone. - Mary hates waiting for someone.
I can't stand listening to his guitar play. - I can't listen to his guitar playing.
I like riding in the mountains. - I like riding in the mountains.

Verbs followed by an infinitive or gerund with a change in meaning.

With these verbs, you need to keep your eyes open. Depending on what you choose - infinitive or gerund, the sentence will take on a certain meaning:

Conclusion

Well, the acquaintance with the gerund took place. As you can see, this topic is very extensive, there are many nuances and tables that you just need to memorize. You can use our article as a cheat sheet or sign up for our English courses via Skype to reinforce the topic. For those who have read to the end, +1000 to karma. May the force of the gerund be with you!

Big and friendly family EnglishDom

What's the difference between to dance And "dancing"? One word is an infinitive and the other is a gerund. Let's take a closer look.

When to use the gerund and when to use the infinitive?

And so, as the person talks, the same question arises. Why is that?

• I like dancing. I love to dance.
• I am fond of dancing. I love dancing (literally: "dancing")
• Dancing is good for me. Dancing is good for me.
• I couldn't help dancing.- I couldn't stop dancing.
• I want to dance. I want to dance.
• I've come here to dance. I came here to dance.
• It's very easy to dance. Dancing is very easy.

To dance or dancing?

When a new student comes to me to learn a language, the first thing I do is ask various questions to determine the level, get to know each other and make anchors for positive emotions for learning English. In general, we please three birds with one stone (we don’t kill, I love animals).

Then I tell that to dance is an infinitive (what answers the question "what to do"), and dancing- this is a gerund (at this point I am usually asked not to express myself) - a part of speech that absorbs the functions of a verb and a noun.

To swim - swim
Swimming - swimming

Well, now to the main thing - when to use what?

When to use the gerund?

1. After certain verbs, for example, verbs denoting preferences

• Like - like;
• love - to love:
• hate - hate;
• prefer - prefer.

Example: I like dancing. I love to dance.

2. After prepositions

• etc.

Example: I'm fond of dancing. I love to dance.

3. As a subject

Example: Dancing is good for me. Dancing is good for me.

4. After some phrases

• There's no point - it's pointless;
• It's no use - it's useless;
• It is worth - it's worth it;
• Can't help - I can not help.

Example: I couldn't help dancing. I couldn't stop dancing (couldn't stop dancing).

When to use the infinitive?

1. After certain verbs

• Want - want;
• would like - would like;
• agree - agree;
• hope - hope;
• choose - choose;
• come - come;
• decide - make a decision;
• can't afford - to be unable, not to be able;
• seem - seem;
• learn - to teach;
• promise - to promise.

2. To indicate the cause

I've come here (for what?) to dance(to dance). I came here to dance.

3. After adjectives

It's easy to dance. (Dancing is easy.) Easy is an adjective (easy), so after it we put an infinitive ...

Everything is simple. There are, however, verbs, after which both the infinitive and the gerund can follow ... Let's consider a few.

• TRY TO DO- to make an effort, to try to do something. ( I tried to understand him, but it was just way too hard for me I tried to understand him, but it was too difficult.);
• TRY DOING- to try something as an experiment. ( Try pushing this button-Try pressing this button.);
• REMEMBER TO DO- do not forget to do something ( I remembered to buy some bread on my way home— I remembered that I had to buy bread on the way home.);
• REMEMBER DOING- remember what happened. ( I remember meeting him for the first time“I remember the first time I met him.);
• STOP TO DO stop to do something else I stopped to pick up a coin I stopped to pick up a coin.);
• STOP DOING- to stop some action. ( girls stop talking… — Girls, stop talking. I could not resist - this is my English teacher's favorite phrase, it stuck in my memory.);
• REGRET TO DO- to regret what will be done. ( I regret to tell you. - I'll be sorry if I tell you)
• REGRET DOING- to regret what has already been done. ( I regret telling her my secret I regret telling her my secret.)

Here is perhaps the most important thing to remember to start with.

There's only one thing to say

Remember reading this article and remember to use infinitives and gerunds properly. - Keep this article in mind and remember to use infinitives and gerunds correctly.

Well, one more thing

I love teaching you and I'd like to help you as much as possible. — I love teaching and I would like to help you as much as possible.
I couldn't help writing it. — I couldn't not write it.

To consolidate the material, watch our video tutorial:

That's all, how do you like the topic? Nothing complicated, right?

You may be interested in:

• Forum:
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Gerund is an impersonal verb form formed by adding the ending -ing to the verb. For example, the gerund of the verb read is reading. There is no analogue of the gerund in Russian.

Despite the fact that the gerund is a verb form, it has more features of a noun. In particular, in a sentence it can be subject, object, and predicative; gerund can be used after prepositions; it may be preceded by possessive pronouns.

Note that when there is a noun with the same meaning as the gerund, it is preferable to use the noun.

For example:
We are waiting for his arrival. (NOT We are waiting for his arriving.)
We expect it arrival.

Forms and functions of the gerund in English

In the examples below, pay attention to the forms of the gerund (present is the present tense form, perfect is the perfect form, passive is the passive form, negative is the negative form):

I like shooting.
I like fire. (Gerund form: present. )

He doesn't like being told what to do.
He doesn't like it when he They say, what to do. ( Gerund form: passive. )

She loves being looked at.
She likes it when watching. (Gerund form: passive. )

He was charged with having committed arson.
He was accused of committing arson. ( Gerund form: perfect. )

He complained of having been tortured by the police.
He filed a complaint that was tortured by the police. ( Gerund form: perfect passive. )

The best thing you can do for your health now is not drinking alcohol.
The best thing you can do for your health right now is not to drink alcohol. ( Gerund form: negative. )

To better understand the difference between the listed forms of the gerund, you need to have a good understanding of tenses and voice in English.

As mentioned above, in a sentence, a gerund can be a subject, an object, and a predicate:

flying makes me sick.
During the flight, I feel sick. ( )

Trespassing is prohibited.
Violation of property rights is prohibited. ( Gerund function: subject.)

We don't allow smoking in our house.
We do not allow smoking in our house. ( Gerund function: direct object.)

I don't believe in buying wine as an investment.
I don't think that buying wine is a good investment. ( Function of the gerund: prepositional object.)

My favorite activity is reading.
My favorite pastime is reading. ( )

Our mistake was trusting him.
Our mistake was that we believed him. ( Gerund function: predicative.)

Complement gerund in English

Being a verb form, the gerund also has the characteristics of a verb. Like a verb, a gerund can take an object after itself.

Compare:
Smoking is injurious to health. - smoking cigarettes is injurious to health.
Smoking unhealthy. - smoking cigarettes unhealthy. ( Noun cigarettes smoking. )

I love reading. – I love reading novels.
I really love read. - I really love read novels. (Noun novels is the complement of the gerund reading. )

However, note that when a gerund is used with an article, it cannot take a direct object. Instead, a prepositional structure is used of.

For example:
The smoking of cigarettes is injurious to health.
Smoking cigarettes is harmful to health.

The climbing mountains is a good sport.
Rock climbing is a good sport.

Use of pronouns with gerunds in English

With the gerund, possessive pronouns and some attributive words are often used (for example, this, those, each, either, some, few, all, both, etc.), thus indicating by whom the action expressed by the gerund is performed.

For example:
They insisted on my resigning the post.
They insisted that I left from this post.

Does my smoking annoy you?
It doesn't bother you that I smoke?

I don't mind your coming late.
I don't mind You came late.

I hate everything this useless arguing.
I can't stand all this useless dispute.

There is no hope of his arrival on time.
There is no hope that he will come during.

She was angry at John's trying to lie to her.
She was angry that John tried lie to her.

In colloquial speech in such situations, nouns or personal pronouns or with are much more often used (for example: me, him, you, John) than possessive pronouns or attributive words.

For example:
They insisted on me resigning the post.
She was angry at John trying to lie to her.

Also, nouns and personal pronouns are preferred when the gerund is in the passive form, or when the noun expresses an inanimate object.

For example:
We were shocked at President Kennedy being assassinated.
We were shocked when President Kennedy was assassinated.

There is no danger of the roof crashing.
There is no danger that the roof will collapse.

There is no hope of the fog lifting for another hour.
There is no hope that the fog will come down in the next hour.

Gerunds with verbs of perception are also usually used with nouns and personal pronouns.

For example:
I saw him running out of the room.
I saw him run out of the room.

The use of the gerund is covered in great detail and described in the next section,

(participle) and gerund ( gerund). There is no such form as gerund in Russian, so it can be difficult for some to understand this topic. So what is a gerund in English?

Functions of the gerund in English

Gerund in English expresses the name of the action and has the characteristics of a noun and a verb. Gerund can perform various functions in a sentence:

1. Gerund in subject function:
   

   Traveling is a very adventurous thing. “Traveling is a very exciting activity.

2. In the object function (direct and prepositional):
   

   I don't mind staying. - Nothing, I'll stay.

   I am good at playing football. - I play football well.

3. Gerund in the function of circumstance:
   

   He left without saying a word. He left without saying a word.

4. In the function of the nominal part of the predicate:
   

   His task was translating an article. His task was to translate the article.

5. Gerunds with prepositions can perform the functions of a definition:
   

   I like her way of doing this. - I like the way she does it.

   The gerund can be defined by and , or by a noun in general and ( his singing- his singing my friend's speaking- speech of my friend). The gerund can be preceded by a preposition ( before leaving before leaving).

As can be seen from these examples, the formation of a gerund in English occurs by adding the ending - ing to the infinitive of a verb without a particle to. If negation is necessary, put a particle not before the gerund. Gerund in English has the forms of time and.

What are the signs of a verb in a gerund in English? First, it can be followed by a direct object:

Making mistakes is very unpleasant. - Making mistakes is very unpleasant.

The gerund can be defined by the adverb:

I don't like walking slowly. I don't like to walk slowly.

The gerund has several forms, which are presented below:

1. Indefinite Active(indefinite in active voice) – reading.
2. Indefinite Passive(indefinite in the passive voice) - being read.
3. Perfect Active(performed in active voice) – having read.
4. Perfect Passive(perfect in the passive voice) - having been read.

Rules for translating the gerund in English

Gerund in English can be translated:

1. The noun that conveys the process ( reading- reading, walking- walk, painting- drawing).
2. A verb, usually an infinitive, and sometimes a gerund participle ( Much depends on his leaving the hotel. – Much depends on whether he leaves the hotel; without saying a word without saying a word).
3. Complex forms of the gerund are almost always translated by subordinate clauses.

The topic of the gerund in English is complicated in that some verbs are used only with it, and some with other impersonal forms of the verb. Moreover, there are verbs and some expressions that allow, for example, the use of both a gerund and an infinitive. These groups of verbs (and certain expressions) need to be known by heart so as not to make grammatical errors when building sentences. At the end, we offer you a test to better remember this material.

​

Test

Gerund in English

That the gerund is a cross between a verb and a noun: reading - reading, leaving - departure.

The gerund can be any member of the sentence, including the complement. And today we will talk in detail about this function. Addition - a member of the sentence that complements the action and answers the questions of indirect cases: what? what? how? What? about what?

An example of a noun addition in Russian:

I'm planning (what?) moving;
I'm thinking (about what?) about moving.

An example of a gerund addition in English:

I'm tired of waiting. – I'm tired (of what?) of waiting.
I appreciate being polite to seniors. – I appreciate (what?) a polite attitude towards the elderly.

Infinitive and gerund in English: rule

So the infinitive can also be an addition. This applies to both Russian and English. The infinitive is the initial form of the verb.

In Russian, he answers the questions: what to do? what to do?
In English, this is the particle form of the verb to(sometimes a particle can be omitted).

An example of an infinitive addition in Russian:

Igor asked his sister (about what?) help to him.
I made it (what?) answer.

An example of an infinitive object in English:

She agreed to come back later. She agreed (to what?) to come back later.
He asked to change the ticket. – He asked (about what?) to change the ticket.

The question arises: how to determine when an infinitive is needed as an object, and when a gerund? Let's figure it out.

1. Need to remember: infinitive and gerund, list of verbs

Let's start with a simple one: it is customary to use a gerund with some verbs, and an infinitive with others. That's all. You just need to memorize these verbs.
⠀

Verbs followed by a gerund

⠀
The gerund is also used after the verb go, if we are talking about some kind of pastime, active activities: Let's go swimming!

The gerund is often used after phrasal verbs, for example: to look forward to, to give up, to put off and etc.
⠀

List of verbs with infinitive

⠀
In order for all these cases to be “deposited in the subcortex”, we advise you to periodically go through our grammatical training:.

2. Verbs followed by both the infinitive and the gerund

The next point is more complicated: there are verbs after which you can use both the gerund and the infinitive.

What's so difficult? The fact is that some of these verbs will change meaning depending on whose company they are in - in the company of a gerund or an infinitive.
⠀

Verbs that change meaning: gerund and infinitive table in English

⠀
Verbs that do not change meaning

There are other verbs that are also used with both the gerund and the infinitive. But they do not change the meaning significantly: begin, continue, prefer, start, hate, love, like.

She sneezing begins every time she sees a cat.
She begins to sneeze every time she sees a cat.
(She starts sneezing every time she sees a cat).

After verbs advise, allow, recommend, encourage, permit You can also use both the gerund and the infinitive. BUT! If after the main verb there is an object (to whom the action is directed), then we use the infinitive:

Mum allowed me to stay overnight at my friend's place. (Mom allowed to me spend the night with a friend).

If there is no object, then use the gerund:

Mum allowed staying overnight at my friend's place. (Mom allowed an overnight stay with a friend).

3. A few more points: gerund and infinitive in English

There are a few more uses of the gerund and the infinitive that are worth remembering.
⠀

Gerund: example sentences

– After suggestions.

If there is a preposition after the verb, then we use the gerund. These are the suggestions: for, before, without, by, about, of, from, in.

I'm interested in drawing. – I am interested in drawing.
⠀

The use of the infinitive in English

– After adjectives in phrases like: It is good (important, happy, hard, etc.) to…

It is nice to see you again. - It's good to see you again.

– With question words in statements.

I don't know how to open this door. I don't know how to open this door.

– To express the purpose of an action.

I came here to meet you. - I came here (why?) to meet you (although this is no longer an addition, but a circumstance).

To summarize: the use of the infinitive and gerund

– Gerund is something between a verb and a noun. The infinitive is the initial form of a verb that answers the question "what to do?".

– The infinitive and gerund can be used as complements in a sentence, in which case they are placed after the main verb.

– There are verbs that are always followed by a gerund: admit, avoid, consider etc. You just need to remember them.

– Other verbs are always followed by an infinitive: agree, choose, decide etc. They also need to be remembered.

– Another group of verbs - those after which there can be both an infinitive and a gerund, while the meaning of the verb itself will change: remember, forget, stop and etc.

– To our delight, there are also verbs after which you can use both forms of the verb without significant damage to the meaning: love, hate, begin and etc.

Infinitive and Gerund in English: Exercises

Yes, there is a lot of information, and just memorizing it will not work. You need a lot of practice, which we will gladly provide you.

To get started, go through. From it you will learn about the Complex Object (a complex addition), which I did not dwell on today, and a few more nuances of using the infinitive and gerund.

And then periodically to bring the choice of the desired form to automatism.

Conclusion: infinitive and gerund

That's all for today. Next month, as part of this grammatical series of articles, you and I will discuss another mysterious entity - the verbal noun. Let's compare it with the already familiar and native gerund. See you!