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THE GERUND AND THE PARTICIPLE
The -ing form is usually called a gerund when it behaves like a noun and like a verb at
the same time and a participle when it behaves like an adjective or like a pure verbal
form being part of the progressive aspect:
The gerund can take the place of a noun,though it can,like a verb,have an object.
I like coffee.
John likes planes.
swimming.
flying.
flying planes.
The participle can take the place of an adjective:
This is a wide stream.
running stream.
Gerund or participle?
As a gerund,the –ing form often functions in general statements as an uncountable
noun with no article.It can also be replaced by IT:
Dancing is fun.I love IT.
Sometimes the –ing form functions as a countable noun which can be replaced by
IT(sg) or THEY(pl):
Dickens often gave readings of his work.They were very popular.
We can use a gerund after determiners like:”a,the,this,a lot of” and “some”,or after
possessives and adjectives:
Brendel has made a new recording.The recording was made live.
The sinking of the Titanic has never been forgotten.
I enjoy a little light reading when I go away on holiday.
What’s all this arguing?
I did some/a lot of/a little shopping this morning.
I appreciate your helping me.Your quick thinking saved us all.
The gerund also has some of the characteristics of a verb:
-it can be followed by an adverb or adverbial phrase:
Walking quickly/Walking in step is difficult.
-it can take an object”
Washing the car seems to be your main hobby!
-it can have a perfect form and even a passive :
I’m sorry for having wasted your time.
I can’t forgive myself for having been taken by surprise.
Participles are associated with verbs when they refer to actions in progress:
Walking in the park the other day,I saw a bird building a nest.
(I was walking,the bird was building)
The gerund in nouns;the present participle as adjective:
Here are your running-shoes(G)
I love the sight of running water(P)-adjective
A walking-stick(G)
A walking dictionary(P)
The coming year(P)
An erring judgement(P)
A sporting offer(P)
A travelling library(P)
A working man(P)
Developing countries(P)
The Reclining Venus(P)
A bathing suit(G)
A drawing-room(G)
A fishing-rod(G)
A frying-pan(G)
A sleeping-car(G)
A swimming pool(G)
A laughing-stock(G)
Some common uses of the gerung:
1.noun complement to the verb TO BE:
My favourite pastime is bird-watching/walking at leisure.
As far as he’s concerned,it’s not doing smth wrong that matters,but not being
caught doing smth wrong.
2.subject:
Jogging isn’t much fun.Being lost can be a terrifying experience.
Not being tall is not a serious disadvantage in life.
Rowing keeps you fit.Not being punctual makes him unreliable.
3.object of a verb:
I enjoy dancing.He doesn’t like not being taken seriously.
4.after “DO”+”THE” reffering to jobs:
Who does the cooking/the shopping/the washing-ups?
5.without an article,the –ing form can have a direct object:
Lighting the fire used to be a daily chore.
After an article,the –ing form cannot be directly followed by an object.We must use
OF:
The lighting of fire is forbidden.
A ringing of bells marked the end of the old year.
6.The act of listening,the skill of speaking,the art of writing,...
7.After “NO” in prohibitions:
No smokingNo parking.
8.After LIKE:
Why don’t you do smth like cleaning the car for me?
If you want to get on,there’s nothing like being hard-working.
9.After prepositions
10.After adj.and possessives:
Slow cooking makes tough meat tender.
Your denying everything will get you nowhere.
Jenny’s not having been trained as a dancer is her one regret.
11.After WHAT ABOUT/HOW ABOUT:
EXAMPLES:
1.Painting is difficult (G)(VN)
2.Painting the child is difficult.(G) –a participle cannot be subject!!!
3.Painting the child,I forgot the time.(P)
4.Talking is provoking.(G)(A)
5.Coming up to me he asked(P)
6.There is nothing like learning.(G)(N)
7.He is always willing.(A)
8.His mind is wandering.(P)(A)
9.A piece os news concerning your friend.(P)(Prep)
10.He spoke over to her head trying to be polite.(P)
11.They were laughing and talking.(P)
12.He saw a man sitting there.(P)
13.The trains arriving tomorrow will be cancelled.(P)
14.Your coming here annoyed me.(G)
15.I heard her singing.(P)
16.I remember going there.(G)
17.Her husband’s saying so.(P)(G)!!! Her husband is saying so(P) or the fact that her
husband said so (G)
18 Though going on for 60,he was an active man.(P)
19.The lift being out of order,I had to walk upstairs.(P)-nominative absolute!!!
20.The roof having been mended,we were able to drive on.(P)-nominative
absolute!!!
21.Strictly speaking,he had the right to object.(P)
22.When seeing that,he burst out laughing.(P)(G)
23.This is no laughing matter.(G)
24.He lay down reading(P)
25.It’s piercing cold.(P)
26.Generally speaking,strictly speaking,countinuing from tomorrow,taking
everything into account,...(P)-absolute participle!!!
27.His pleasure is reading.(G)
28.On my speaking to her,she agreed at once.(G)
A gerund can have a subject without putting it in the genitive!:no genitive case!
THE HALF-GERUND(FUSED PARTICIPLE):(when the possessive adj. is replaced
by a pronoun in the accusative)
I have some suspicion of the room having been properly searched by the
police.
I’m not surprised at young and old falling in love with her.
I could not imagine that being possible.
I don’t approve of my daughter marrying like that!
I don’t understand him being so late!
Please,oblige me by all attending to what I say.(...sa fiti cu toti atenti la...)
Excuse me yawning.
Fancy him being so early!
Their work prevented them (from) being present.
PASSIVALS(when the passive voice is implied but not used!!!)
The child needs looking after.
(This book reads easily.
These books sell badly.)
This film is worth seeing
This book is worth reading.
The room wants dusting.
I’d like it thinning out a bit at the sides.
Would you like it layering?
How do you want it doing?
Do you want it washing?
I’d like some gel putting on it.
Do you want it parting/combing at the side?
How much do you want it taking off?
The -ing form after COME ,NEED,WANT,GO,REQUIRE:
Why don’t we go swimming?
Come dancing this evening.
We went sight-seeing.
He needs(a lot of) encouraging.(passivals)
The front gate needs/requires/wants mending.(passivals)
VERBS(structures) +ING(NOT+TO-INFINITIVE)
A.(compulsory)admit,appreciate,avoid,celebrate,consider,contemplate,defer(intarzia),de
lay,discontinue,dislike,dispute,endure,enjoy,it entails,escape,excuse,explain,fancy,feel
like,finish,forgive,can’t help,hinder,imagine,it involves,keep,loathe,it means,mention,
mind(object to),miss,pardon,postpone,practise,prevent,recall,report,resent,resist
without,,risk,mind,cease,can’t stand,
suggest,understand,can’t bear,give up,keep on,leave off(stop),have objection to,proud
of,be interested in,be fond of,the idea of,the opportunity of,think of,admit of(permite),
be surprised at/by,angry at/with,amazed at,be worth,look forward to,get used to,be used
to,be accustomed to,be good at,be skilful at,be keen on,accuse of,charge with,it’s no use,
useless/no good,aim at,be in the habit of,reason for,succeed in,allow for,apply for,attent
to,congratulate on,cure of,enlarge on.
B.(optional):The -ing form or the to-infinitive?
Slight change of meaning:attempt,begin,can’t bear,cease,commence,start,continue,intent
omit.:
I can’t bear to see /seeing people suffering.
I can’t bear you to shout/shouting in that way.
We don’t normally use the –ing form after the progressive forms of
begin,cease,continue,start.This is because the repetition of the two –ing forms sound
awkward:
He was beginning to recover when he had another attack.
However,we can use the –ing form after the progressive forms which cannot be followed
by a to-infinitive:
We were considering catching an earlier train.
I soon began to understand what was happening.(stative verb:know,understand)
Would you advise phoning or shall I wait a bit longer?
Would you advise me to phone...?
Change of meaning:
Dread,hate,like,prefer,love,try,go on can be followed by a to-infinitive or -ing
form.We often
use a to-infinitive to refer to future event and the –ing form to refer to an activity
currently in progress or existing in general.
I love/like watching TV-some general meaning
I hate to disturb you.-but I am just about to do so.
I hate disturbing you.-I’m disturbing you and I’m sorry;general use.
I dread to think what has happened-so I dare not try to.I dread thinking,(not good)
I dread going to the dentist.-I’m terrified. I dread to go..(not good)
I prefer to wait here.-so I’ll wait here if you don’t mind.
I prefer waiting here.-I’m waiting here and I prefer doing that.
I prefer swimming to cycling.
Would you like to eat out?(not the gerund)
I like dancing but I don’t like to dance now.
We regret to inform you that...(referring tu future or present)
I regretted leaving so early.(past)
He regretted going there.(referring to the past)
Stop shouting! He stopped smoking/He stopped to smoke.
His shoes want mending/repairing. He wants to have his shoes mended.
Her house needs redecorating.We need to talk.
I remembered posting the letter. I remembered to post the letter.
Don’t forget to ask Tom.I forgot to ask Tom.(future implied or future seen from the
past)
Have you forgotten meeting/having met her?(that you met her)
Try to overcome your shyness.(effort)
Try holding your breath!(experiment)
After approving the agenda,we went on to discuss finance.(interruption)
We went on discussing finance till midnight.(continuation)
I’m interested to hear your option.(it interests me)
I’m interested in emigrating to Canada.(I might do this)
I’m sorry to interrupt.(I’m sorry but I’m going to interrupt)
I’m sorry for interrupting.(I’m sorry for what has happened)
EXERCISES:
1.I’ve no objection to asking him
2.I like being invited to parties.
3.Pardon me for troubling you.
4.I got angry at seeing such a great disorder.
5.Thank you for letting me know about it in time.
6.Why do you insist on his coming too?
7.I am not fond of reading aloud.
8.I am looking forward to hearing from you.
9.After having consulted the doctor he seemed cheered up.
10.She could not remember having ever mentioned his name.
11.Our missing the train was most embarrassing.
12.We learnt about his being away for such a long time.
13.Learning rules without practising them is useless and a waste of time.
14.We were greatly surprised at his having done that.
15.I burnt my finger so badly that I couldn’t help crying.
16.His brother was fined for having driven so fast.
17.We succeeded in getting the tickets for the opera.
18.Fancy ringing him up at such a time of the day!
19.He might take to farming neaxt year.
20.I wouldn’t mind being on a holiday now.
21.Somebody insists on seeing you.
22.Excuse me for having been so rude.
23.Is this film worth seeing?
24.The only cure for such an ailment is getting a good rest and nourishing food.
25.This table needs mending.
26.This exercise wants altering.
27.Our kitchen floor needs scrubbing.
28.This dress needs taking up a bit.
29.They’re clever at repairing things.
30.She was shocked by seeing the accident.
31.We are astonished at your having changed your mind.
32.He is displeased at/with/about your not having succeeded in contacting her.
33.They are busy with preparing their departure.
34.Nobody objected to my joining the expedition.
35.It is worth while discussing the question.
36.My knowing she was not present,made me feel clumsy.
37.Her parents disapprove of his coming late.
38.Eveything depends on his working laboriously.
39.My sleeping badly was the result of working too late.
40.It’s no use getting mad at him.
41.A week has passed without any of us receiving any news from home.
42.You should give up sitting up late.
43.I insist on her being also asked on this matter.
44.I’m surprised at his not having participated in the debates.
45.I blamed her for not having kept her word.
46.You ought to be ashamed of having refused his advice in this urgent matter.
47.I couldn’t risk missing the train.
48.He tried to garden,to keep pigs,to rear poultry but he didn’t succeed in any of
them.(experiment)
49.There is no need for that to be done.
50.Is there any chance of there being a vacancy in this hotel?
51.If I bring in my suit for dry-cleaning,is there any chance of it being ready by tommorow?
52.I object to being kept waiting.I’m used to doing the shopping.
53.He’s close to being interviewed.
54.She’s dedicated to teaching English.
55.Why don’t you stop smoking?
56.Please,stop making such noise!
57.I don’t mind your smoking at all.
58.You must cease marking time or else you will set a bad example to eveybody.(a bate pasul
pe loc)
59.Stop biting your nails!
60.We couldn’t help laughing at his boasting.
61.Sometimes I simply hate speaking to such a morose/unsociable person.
62.I have never liked going to the station at the very last minute.
63.We must go on doing our best/utmost with a view to settling the problem.(a rezolva)
64.The stern father said that the boy wanted a thrashing but the tetacher replied that in fact he
needed good looking after and added he wouldn’t bear being contracdicted.
65.The woman said she couldn’t yet resume her work as her boy was sick and needed constant
looking after.
66.Adjectives with irregular comparison need/want much repeating before they are assimilated
correctly.
67.If he will not accept that his evil ways need/want mending,his colleagues won’t stand
working with him any longer.
68.The neighbour complained about the boy’s way of speaking and told his father that his words
wouldn’t even bear repeating.
69.The child’s parents hardly have a moment to themselves(time of leisure) because he
needs/wants looking after incessantly.
70.She keeps saying/is in the habit of saying that she can’t bear being disturbed from her work
but on the other hand she drives us crazy with her endless talk.
71.All the words want/need looking up,copying and learning within the respective context.
72.Her friend kept telling her she had been slandered(barfita) by a colleague of hers but he
insisted that the latter’s words wouldn’t bear repeating.
73.The cold weather prevented us from going shopping.
74.She is quick/good/clever/efficient AT running/learning/riding/cooking/repairing.
75.I’m astonished/indignant/displeased AT your having accepted her money.
76.On their answering that they were free on that day,they all decided to leave the town.
77.You are not used to being spoken to in this manner.
78.I congratulate you on having passed the exan without taking it!
79.He is in the bad habit of chainsmoking!
80.A young and able-bodied man like you oughtn’t to waste his time on drinking coffee in
snack-bars.(capabil)