THE GERUND
Form:
verb + ing
playing
Uses: A Gerund is used as a verbal noun:
Walking is good for all.
I like swimming
He stopped me from going out.
He was fined for rash driving.
The words italicized in the sentences above are gerunds or verbal ouns.
They are all used as nouns
(a) As subject:
1. Gambling is a bad habit.
2. Drinking affects the liver.
3. Reading books can be an interesting hobby.
4. Dancing was very common in the royal courts.
5. Bringing up children is not an easy job.
6. Her singing charmed everyone.
Subject Verb +Complement
Gardening great fun
Swimming interesting
Riding is a good exercise
an enjoyable hobby
Dancing
Skating
Boating
(b) As object:
Subject Verb +Complement
Gardening great fun
Swimming interesting
Riding is a good exercise
an enjoyable hobby
Dancing
Skating
Boating
(b) As object:
1. She loves singing.
2. I like reading novels.
3. My father hates getting up late.
4. Do you like boxing?
Subject verb object complement
I like eating spicy foods.
We dislike drinking hot coffee.
My parents hate sleeping in the open.
watching T.V.
(c) As object of preposition:
Subject verb object complement
I like eating spicy foods.
We dislike drinking hot coffee.
My parents hate sleeping in the open.
watching T.V.
(c) As object of preposition:
1. I am interested in seeing your camera.
2. The police charged him with rash driving.
3. She is fond of wearing colourful dresses.
4. He insisted on my going with him.
5. My parents objected to my praying with him.
In these sentences the italicized words are used as gerunds. They follow prepositions in, with,of,on, to and are called objects of these prepositions.
In these sentences the italicized words are used as gerunds. They follow prepositions in, with,of,on, to and are called objects of these prepositions.
Remember that a verb after a preposition must be in gerund form. Also note that to in the last sentence is a preposition and so takes a gerund after it.
Subject +verb Adjective + preposition gerund+complement
I am Reading novels
Fond of Seeing cricket matches
She/ he is Chasing butterflies
Interested in Making new friends
Meeting people
Collecting coins
(d) Obligatory use with certain verbs: Some verbs take only gerunds after them and nor infinitives. Some of these verbs are: finish, prevent avoid, admit, deny, imagine, fancy, forgive, pardon, excuse. suggest, keep (=continue), understand mind (=object), consider,miss, involve,resist, resent, detest, escape, give up, go on (=continue) keep on.
1. I dislike seeing late-night movies. (but not to see late-night movies.).
Subject +verb Adjective + preposition gerund+complement
I am Reading novels
Fond of Seeing cricket matches
She/ he is Chasing butterflies
Interested in Making new friends
Meeting people
Collecting coins
(d) Obligatory use with certain verbs: Some verbs take only gerunds after them and nor infinitives. Some of these verbs are: finish, prevent avoid, admit, deny, imagine, fancy, forgive, pardon, excuse. suggest, keep (=continue), understand mind (=object), consider,miss, involve,resist, resent, detest, escape, give up, go on (=continue) keep on.
1. I dislike seeing late-night movies. (but not to see late-night movies.).
2. He finished writing an hour ago. (but not to write........),
More examples:
1. I caught him copying
He opened the door. He went out.
1. Having read the book, he returned it to the library.
Other examples:
He has failed four times already.
He doesn't want to appear in the examination again.
3. Answer: having lost a lot of money in business.he does't want to risk his money any more.
PAST PARTICIPLE
Uses: The past participle can be used as an adjective to qualify a noun.
The injured man was taken to the hospital.
A burnt child dreads the fire.
The servant took away the broken plates.
give the patient boiled water.
The words in italics in the sentences above are past participles. They perform the function of adjectives.
Past participles can be used:
(a) As subject-complements. Look at the following Sentences:.
The house is locked.
She felt encouraged.
He was drunk.
(b) As object complements.
I got a house constructed.
He had his shoes repaired.
She found the safe broken open.
(c) As an adjectival phrase qualifying a noun.
The man arrested yesterday has been released.
The purse found on the road is still with the police.
The speech delivered by the primd minister is still ringing in my ears.
The wrongs done to me are still fresh in my memory.
The words italicized in each of the above sentences are participial phrases. They qualify the nouns before them. They are therefore called adjectival phrases.
(d) To combine two sentences with the same subjects.
He was hit by a truck. He was badly injured.
3. The thief admitted stealing the purse.
4. She denied having seen him on that day.
5. Do you enjoy listening to pop music?
6. He suggested taking a short cut to the town.
7. Keep trying and you will succeed.
8. She does not mind going with him.
9. He has avoided meeting us.
10. Stop writing now! The time is up.
When stop is used, to mean cease, it takes a gerund after
When stop is used, to mean cease, it takes a gerund after
1. Stop talking. (cease talking or don't talk.)
But when stop is used to mean halt, it takes an infinitive.
He stopped (-halted) to talk to her.
Other examples:
He stopped drinking.
He stopped on his way to drink.
("He gave up the habit of drinking.)
She stopped beating She stopped in her work to beat the child.
The verb mind is used mainly in negative and interrogative sentences.
But when stop is used to mean halt, it takes an infinitive.
He stopped (-halted) to talk to her.
Other examples:
He stopped drinking.
He stopped on his way to drink.
("He gave up the habit of drinking.)
She stopped beating She stopped in her work to beat the child.
The verb mind is used mainly in negative and interrogative sentences.
1. You don't mind waiting, do you?
2. We don't mind delaying our programme.
3. Do you mind helping me?
4. Would you mind passing the salt?
The interrogatives here are really polite requests.
(e) Certain verbs can take both infinitives and gerunds. Some of these verbs are propose, mean, go on, begin, start, continue, attempt, intend, love, forget, like hate, prefer, fear, remember, regret, advise, permit, allow, recommend, learn, try.
Look at the following sentences:
Begin writing from the next page Begin to write from the. next-page.
He continued talking. he continued to talk.
She did not remember please, remember to post
posting the letter. the letter.
I love eating mangoes. I love to eat mangoes.
The interrogatives here are really polite requests.
(e) Certain verbs can take both infinitives and gerunds. Some of these verbs are propose, mean, go on, begin, start, continue, attempt, intend, love, forget, like hate, prefer, fear, remember, regret, advise, permit, allow, recommend, learn, try.
Look at the following sentences:
Begin writing from the next page Begin to write from the. next-page.
He continued talking. he continued to talk.
She did not remember please, remember to post
posting the letter. the letter.
I love eating mangoes. I love to eat mangoes.
She likes going out to She likes to go out to dances
dances
Although these verbs can take both infinitive and gerunds, in the case of some verbs the meaning changes with the choice of a gerund or an infinitive.
He remembered posting the letter.
He will remember to post the letter.
The first sentence refers to remembering a past action. That is, he remembered he had posted the letter. But the second sentence refers to a future action. That is, he will not forget to post the letter.
In general, the gerund is used for past actions and habits and the infinitive for future action.
Another example:
He preferred going to the theatre. (refers to a general habit in
the past)
I will prefer to go to the theatre. (refers to a single occasion). Certain gerunds function like adjectives to form compound nouns in combination with other nouns:
1.walking -stick
dances
Although these verbs can take both infinitive and gerunds, in the case of some verbs the meaning changes with the choice of a gerund or an infinitive.
He remembered posting the letter.
He will remember to post the letter.
The first sentence refers to remembering a past action. That is, he remembered he had posted the letter. But the second sentence refers to a future action. That is, he will not forget to post the letter.
In general, the gerund is used for past actions and habits and the infinitive for future action.
Another example:
He preferred going to the theatre. (refers to a general habit in
the past)
I will prefer to go to the theatre. (refers to a single occasion). Certain gerunds function like adjectives to form compound nouns in combination with other nouns:
1.walking -stick
2. dining-table
3. dining-room
4. frying-pan
5. looking-glass
6. writing-desk
7. reading-room
(g) Certain gerunds have come to be used as ordinary nouns. Some of these are: cutting-cuttings
painting-paintings
parting-partings
saving-savings
Cutting-cuttings
(g) Certain gerunds have come to be used as ordinary nouns. Some of these are: cutting-cuttings
painting-paintings
parting-partings
saving-savings
Cutting-cuttings
THE PRESENT PARTICIPLE
Form
Verb+ing
Playing
USES: it is used as a verbal adjective. It can be the force of both a verb and an adjective.
Pure water: drinking water.
Adjective+noun: present participle +noun.
Pure qualifies water, drinking also qualifies water.
Drinking is a present participle and it functions as an adjective here.
a good story an interesting story
a mad dog a barking dog
A busy wife a working wife
A present participle is used
Drinking is a present participle and it functions as an adjective here.
a good story an interesting story
a mad dog a barking dog
A busy wife a working wife
A present participle is used
(a) As a subject complement:
1. The story was very thrilling.
2. The journey was quite exciting.
3. Your reply is rather amusing.
4. The lecture was boring.
The participles here complete the meaning of the subjects. Hence we call them subject complements here.
(b) As an object complement: Look at the following pairs of sentences.
(b) As an object complement: Look at the following pairs of sentences.
1.We found the children happy. We found the children laughing.
2. The incident left me thoughtful. The incident left me thinking.
In the first pair of sentences, the adjective happy is the complement of the object the children. Similarly, the present participle laughing is the complement of the object the children.
More examples:
1. I caught him copying
2. We found her sleeping.
3. I didn't see him actually stealing the purse.
4. They left her standing at the bus-stop.
(c) As an adjectival phrase:
(c) As an adjectival phrase:
1. The girl sitting on the bench is very pretty.
2. The man shouting at the top of his voice is my uncle.
3. The birds flying in the sky are cranes.
The participial phrase sitting on the bench qualifies the noun the girl. It therefore, functions as an adjectival phrase here. This applies to other sentences, too.
(d) To combine two sentences having the same subject. Study the following examples:
(d) To combine two sentences having the same subject. Study the following examples:
He opened the door. He went out.
We could combine these by using a present participle for the first action.
Opening the door, he went out.
Since the subject of the two sentences is the same we don't need to mention the subject of the participle.
1. I switched off the lights. I went to sleep.
Opening the door, he went out.
Since the subject of the two sentences is the same we don't need to mention the subject of the participle.
1. I switched off the lights. I went to sleep.
Answer:Switching off the lights, I went to sleep.
2. He found no one in the house. He came back.
Answer: Finding no one in the house, he came back.
(e) To combine two sentences having different subjects:
(e) To combine two sentences having different subjects:
1. It was a fine day. We went out for a picnic.
Answer: It being a fine day, we went out for a picnic.
Answer: It being a fine day, we went out for a picnic.
The subjects of the two sentences are different here. We must therefore mention both in the combined sentence.
2. The teacher was absent. The students made a lot of noise. Answer: The teacher being absent, the students made a lot of noise.
2. The teacher was absent. The students made a lot of noise. Answer: The teacher being absent, the students made a lot of noise.
3. The road was completely dark. We could not find our way.
Answer: The road being completely dark, we could not find our way.
THE PERFECT PARTICIPLE
Form:
Having+ past participle
having played
Uses: The perfect participle is used to show that the first action is complete before the second starts.
He had read the book. He returned it to the library. The action of reading the book is complete before the action of returnig it begins. So we should use the perfect participle to combine the two sentences.
Answer: The road being completely dark, we could not find our way.
THE PERFECT PARTICIPLE
Form:
Having+ past participle
having played
Uses: The perfect participle is used to show that the first action is complete before the second starts.
He had read the book. He returned it to the library. The action of reading the book is complete before the action of returnig it begins. So we should use the perfect participle to combine the two sentences.
1. Having read the book, he returned it to the library.
Other examples:
He has failed four times already.
He doesn't want to appear in the examination again.
2. Answer: Having failed four times. he doesn't want to appear in the examination again.
He has lost a lot of money in business. He doesn t want to risk his money any more.
3. Answer: having lost a lot of money in business.he does't want to risk his money any more.
PAST PARTICIPLE
Uses: The past participle can be used as an adjective to qualify a noun.
The injured man was taken to the hospital.
A burnt child dreads the fire.
The servant took away the broken plates.
give the patient boiled water.
The words in italics in the sentences above are past participles. They perform the function of adjectives.
Past participles can be used:
(a) As subject-complements. Look at the following Sentences:.
The house is locked.
She felt encouraged.
He was drunk.
(b) As object complements.
I got a house constructed.
He had his shoes repaired.
She found the safe broken open.
(c) As an adjectival phrase qualifying a noun.
The man arrested yesterday has been released.
The purse found on the road is still with the police.
The speech delivered by the primd minister is still ringing in my ears.
The wrongs done to me are still fresh in my memory.
The words italicized in each of the above sentences are participial phrases. They qualify the nouns before them. They are therefore called adjectival phrases.
(d) To combine two sentences with the same subjects.
He was hit by a truck. He was badly injured.
Answer: Hit by a truck, he was badly injured.
The child was allowed to leave. He ran home quickly.
Answer: allowed to leave the child ran home quickly.
He had been warned by his friends in time. He left the city immediately.
Answer: Warned by his friends in time he left the city immed
iately.
The perfect participle (passive form) can also be used here
Having been warned by his friends in time. he left the city immediately.
(e) To combine sentences with different subjects.
His purse had been stolen. He had no money to buy a ticket.
Here we have to use the perfect participle to make the combination.
Answer: His purse having been stolen. he had no money to buy a ticket.
The government was defeated. The president called for fresh
elections.
Answer: The government having been defeated, the president called for fresh elections.
Answer: allowed to leave the child ran home quickly.
He had been warned by his friends in time. He left the city immediately.
Answer: Warned by his friends in time he left the city immed
iately.
The perfect participle (passive form) can also be used here
Having been warned by his friends in time. he left the city immediately.
(e) To combine sentences with different subjects.
His purse had been stolen. He had no money to buy a ticket.
Here we have to use the perfect participle to make the combination.
Answer: His purse having been stolen. he had no money to buy a ticket.
The government was defeated. The president called for fresh
elections.
Answer: The government having been defeated, the president called for fresh elections.
Tags:
Grammar