Download SentencePattern#20

Sentence Pattern #20
Open With a Present Gerund
What is a Gerund?

A gerund has an identity disorder!
It looks like a
verb, but acts
like a noun!

A gerund is a verbal – half verb, half noun.

The present gerund = the -ing form of the verb.

Looks identical to the present participle, but
remember:


The participle functions as an adjective
The gerund functions as a noun


Like a verb, the present gerund expresses
an action.
Like a noun, it may serve as:
1) Subject of a sentence
2) Predicate noun
3) Object of preposition
1) Subject of a sentence
Flying makes me
nervous.
2) Predicate noun
I love to
watch
fencing.
3) Object of a preposition
He knows
many things
about
dancing.
Because gerunds and present participles look the
same (form), it is important to remember what
they do (function).
Use memory aids to help you remember them.
You can form a gerund phrase in 3 ways:
1) By combining with an adverb
Driving dangerously causes accidents.
Writing in my diary
relieves me of
stress.
2) By combining with a
prepositional phrase
3) By taking an object
Writing the last
chapter gave
me a feeling of
success.
Let's put it all together!
Gerund phrase (noun):
Eating blackberries
without washing them
Main verb (did what?):
will make you ill.
Eating blackberries without washing them will
make you ill.
Now, use the pictures to make your
own sentences that fit the pattern
(open with a gerund or
gerund phrase).