… Running is a participle (adjective) modifying the noun, water. The definition makes reference to Latin but the same definition applies to English. Depending on a participle's meaning, it may accept a prepositional phrase or infinitive as its complement. Get Grammar Pop today in the iPad App Store. Thank you. As an Amazon Associate and a Bookshop.org Affiliate, QDT earns from qualifying purchases. However, they have different uses. Example: exciting. In the box below each sentence, identify the verbal as a present participle or gerund. They like swimming. that people will hate him. SURVEY . Present, Past, Future. FUNCTION (WHAT IT DOES) FUNCTION: A gerund functions as a subject or complement of the predicate. A gerund is the “-ing” form of a verb when it functions grammatically as a n From the O E D entry for "gerund": A form of the Lat. Q. Being … A participle is a verbal that functions as an adjective, as in "the shivering woman reached for a sweater" or "the galloping horses thundered past." There "using cardboard as a building material" is clearly being used as a noun. Present participles function in sentences as adjectives or adverbs, and they end in -ing. The “-ing” verb in progressive tenses is a participle. For example: a) It is pleasing to see that he’s improving. It has 11 parts of speech, 28 levels, and includes more than 14,000 words. To understand this read it carefully. Neal has a PhD in linguistics and blogs at literalminded.wordpress.com. He was a huge help. Here, singing functions as a verb. He liked skiing.. Running is a gerund, a direct object of the action verb, enjoy. 'Being' can … The gerund can be replaced by a noun. Beginning is easy. The Past Participle has the force of an Adjective and a Verb, … So that’s the topic we’re going to talk about today. He … Being (gerund) the boss (subject complement for Jeff, via state of being expressed in gerund) Punctuation A gerund virtually never requires any punctuation with it. These verb forms can act as gerunds as well as present participles. I was wondering whether the following highlighted words is(are) a gerund or present participle? Are running is the verb in this sentence. 1. Speaking – gerund, object of the preposition of 15. PART TWO Where no premodifier appears, genitive or otherwise, the traditional view held painting to be 'gerund' as in [15], where the item is a structure functioning nominally (in this case as subject); But it was considered a participle if the same structure functioned adverbially, as in [16]. They like swimming. To jump is fun. They are not. The exciting ride made the people scream. (Gerund, please confirm) 2). Swimming is a gerund. in: "He saw ME dancing on tv" DANCING is not a gerund because (according to my textbook) it was truly ME that he saw. answer choices . Swimming is being used as a noun. The smoking pistol was in his right hand. Their gerunds and present participles are “being” and “going.”. 12 days ago. While been is used as past tense, being is used as continuous tense. In fact, I don’t even know what snow for falling would be. It's part of a verb phrase, so it's a participle. It's easy to prove that the word "being" in the noun phrase "human being" is a pure noun, not a gerund or present participle. Both a participle and a gerund might take the form of one word. In the first, the use of a gerund (functioning as a noun) allows the meaning to be expressed more precisely than in the second. Zaktualizowano 14 listopada 2020. They are both formed from verbs and end in –ing. Participles. Singing is his hobby. I've come across one of the grammar questions listed in the book by Strumpf and Douglas* and I thought it is quite interesting. Here’s the slower answer: For most teaching purposes, in fact, there’s a pretty simple test. To work through another example, take the phrase “falling snow.” You can’t say “very falling snow,” so it’s probably not an adjective. A participle, on the other hand, functions like an adjective. The student asked what the role of "being" and "becoming" in the following sentence is: I'm not a human being but a human becoming. Gerunds: Special Verbs That Are Also Nouns. Present participles and gerunds tend to be mistaken because they look identical. Learn the four uses of BEING in English: (1) continuous tenses (2) gerund (3) passive voice (4) participle clauses. rvw; 1 2. The word reading is formed from the Verb read, by adding ing. Identify the highlighted word/phrase … Being – gerund, object of the participle at 10. He resents [their being late]. Quick & Dirty Tips™ and related trademarks appearing on this website are the property of Mignon Fogarty, Inc. and Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC. Walking is good for your health. If the verbal is a participle, write the noun that it is modifying. Now it is your turn to find the gerunds. The infinitive is the base form of a verb with to.Usually it functions as a noun, although it can also function as an adjective or adverb. Easy so far, but there’s a snag as there commonly is … If the verbal is a gerund, write its function (subject, direct object, appositive, object of preposition, subjective complement). Neal Whitman PhD is an independent writer and consultant specializing in language and grammar and a member of the Reynoldsburg, Ohio, school board. If the verbal is a participle, write the noun that it is modifying. A participle and a gerund might also take the form of phrases. Jul 07 2005 09:13:10 . If you would like to listen to the audio, please use Google Chrome or Firefox. Thus singing is a present participle in this sentence. (In the second sentence, interrupting is … Swimming is a gerund. If your native language is English, the logic of participles is the same as in Spanish. Gerund. “Aardvark was happy when you called.” But look closer. A word referring to ‘an action or a state of being’ can work as either a verb or a noun or an adjective. If the verbal is a gerund, write its function (subject, direct object, appositive, object of preposition, subjective complement). Presumably four million seals could not compete with commercial fisherman for the same species without the fact being known. He had a unique way of whistling.. answer choices -ing-ed-d-ies. Bill and Tony enjoy running. Because they look the same, it can be difficult to tell the difference between a gerund and a participle. As single words, gerunds can function either as subjects, direct objects or objects of prepositions. Q. For sentence (2), what is the meaning of the sentence? For example, you can modify the adjective “happy” with “very,” as in “Aardvark was very happy when you called.” You can’t do that with “skiing.” You can’t say, “Aardvark was very skiing when you called.”, What about a word like “forgiving”? Present Participles in Spanish. Respecting her words, I never tried to meet her. Playing – gerund, complement of the noun whole day 11. A gerund phrase will begin with a gerund, an ing word, and will include other modifiers and/or objects. Please read the following sentence. In the second, the cause of the irritation is identified less precisely as Bill, who just happens … Spending – gerund (object of the verb hates) 5. If your native language is English, the logic of participles is the same as in Spanish. But could it not equally be the case that it was the DANCING that he saw, making it a gerund, i.e. But it could be used in a participial phrase. However, the gerund still acts as a verb, that's its express purpose. Waving – participle (used like an adjective qualifying the noun spectators) 6. The movie is amusing to watch. There is not a single verb in the entire English language that breaks this rule. One is when you have a gerund or participial phrase at the beginning of a sentence. It's got to be the whole phrase (nonfinite clause) as the subject, I think, RVW. It's easy to prove that the word "being" in the noun phrase "human being" is a pure noun, not a gerund or present participle. It’s $1.99 and it’s the full game—no annoying in-app purchases. For example: They’ve have been working for four hours. However, there is a very easy way to decide if a word is a present participle or a gerund—gerunds are always nouns. Present Participles vs. Gerunds. I saw you dancing. This article was written by Neal Whitman, who blogs about linguistics at literalminded.wordpress.com. In the example “The burned meat sizzled in the pan,” the past participle is the single word “burned,” which functions as an adjective and modifies the word “meat.” When employed as a phrase, a past participle can manifest as follows: “Chosen from among many contestants, the beauty pageant winner was delighted.” Here, “chosen from among many contestants” is the past participial phrase, which functions as an adjective that modifies “beauty pageant winner.”, A participle and a gerund can both take the form of single words or phrases. Books is a noun. Tags: Question 6 . The–ingword forms part of the past progressive tense (formed from the verbbeand the participle with–ing) so it’s a participle. While been is used as past tense, being is used as continuous tense. 2. I would suggest that the use of "becoming" in the sentence is simply the writer's play on words, using the present participle "becoming" as a parallel to … 3. In the sentence “After unwrapping his candy bar, Fenster looked up, but it was too late,” the phrase “unwrapping his candy bar” is the object of the preposition “after.” As the object of a preposition, this is a gerund phrase. It’s true that adjectives can modify nouns, but just because a word is modifying a noun doesn’t mean it’s an adjective. The gerund and the present participle have identical forms. Gerunds and gerund phrases virtually never require punctuation. It may be worth remembering that a gerund always functions as a noun: Function Example sentence; Subject: Hiking can be a relaxing and rewarding activity. Points to remember: 1. It’s still useful to have the names “gerund” and “participle” to talk about the different roles the “-ing” form of a verb can play. rules of gerund and participle. [adjective + noun] People enjoyed the exciting roller coaster. As such, they convey either states of being or states of action. My favourite hobby is swimming. A participle and a gerund might also take the form of phrases. For example, I could say , “Skiing with my husband on a weekday while everyone else is working is awesome.” The simple subject is just “skiing,” but the complete subject is “skiing with my husband on a weekday while everyone else is working.”, Now let’s move on to present participles. This gives grammarians a nightmare. Answer Key . The quick answer is No and the question isn’t quite complete. Singing – gerund, subject of the verb is . The first word is a past participle, and the second … I would like some guidance on distinguishing between a gerund (verbal noun) and a participle e.g. answer choices . How to tell participles from gerunds (and adjectives). (It seems that it is a continuous tense, but what continuous tense (Present Continuous?) In these sentences, the present participle or "ing" verb does the job … For example, the verbal form, “listening” is used both as the present participle and the gerund. Mar 22 2020 21:28:34 [email protected] + 0 [email protected]I wonder if “focusing” is “Gerund“ or ”Participle“. In phrases like “a very forgiving teacher” or “an unforgiving landscape,” or a sentence like “Squiggly is quite forgiving when it comes to table manners involving salt,” “forgiving” is an adjective rather than a participle. Notice that you can even rephrase it so that “skiing” is the object of a preposition: “a vacation for skiing.” This clinches the case that “skiing” is a gerund here. Thank you. Tags: Question 7 . "The boy is seated on the floor, and he is playing the guitar." But that is not the … In both these sentences, the gerund being is created from a linking verb. Present participles do not act as nouns. Cabbage is a noun. Participle. A noun can be replaced by a gerund. Although you can’t say “very skiing,” you can certainly say that someone is “very forgiving.” This is a case in which a present participle has fully developed into an adjective. The gerund phrase “reading a good book” functions as the subject of the sentence “Reading a good book is one of life's greatest pleasures.” The same gerund phrase functions as the direct object when the sentence is “Life's greatest pleasure is reading a good book.” The gerund phrase “reading a good book” becomes the object of a preposition in the sentence “One can find inspiration by reading a good book.”, Wikibuy Review: A Free Tool That Saves You Time and Money, 15 Creative Ways to Save Money That Actually Work. Spending – gerund, object of the verb hates 12. In traditional grammar the verb being would be considered a gerund in the Original Poster's example. Difference between Past participle and Gerund: Since both Past Participle and the Gerund end with ‘-ing’, it is essential to distinguish between them. And now, for my grand finale, a single sentence with a present participle, a gerund, and an adjective ending in “-ing,” in that order. None of the above. 1. When you are finished, click the "Check My Work" button at the bottom of the page to check your answers. Swimming is a gerund. Depending on a participle's meaning, it may accept a prepositional phrase or infinitive as its complement. Smoking – Gerund (object of the preposition by) 2. Understand this here: A word referring to ‘an action or a state of being’ can work as either a verb or a noun or an adjective. 2. For instance, although we've known for centuries that the sun doesn't move around the earth, we still use the expression "rising sun. [adjective + noun] The … Swimming is a gerund. However, you can modify “falling” with an adverb: “gently falling snow.” So we can conclude that “falling” is a participle. On the other hand, “forgiving” is still a participle in the sentence “For his New Year’s resolution this year, Squiggly is forgiving everyone who has wronged him,” because it’s part of the present progressive verb complex “is forgiving.” You can’t say “Squiggly is very forgiving everyone who has wronged him.”. Both a participle and a gerund are classified as verbals, which, in English grammar, are defined as verbs that operate in a sentence as if they were other parts of speech. "Being" has a plural form, "beings." Gerunds created from linking verbs can be used with predicate nouns and predicate adjectives. Respecting our parents is our duty. Why? A gerund is the verbal noun identical in form with any participle, simple or compound, that contains the termination -ing. (noun; subject of the verb is) . People remain confused between gerund and participle because of their similarities. Gerund: The verbal breaking serves as a noun.It is also the object of the preposition of. In fact, the formation of the present participle is the same as the formation of gerund. Is singing a gerund, participle, or a verb in the sentence? Gerunds … Painting a child that morning, I quite forgot It is also used to make continuous tense forms. The singing girl formed a crowd. She had a suggestion to offer. In English, it has the properties of both verb and noun, such as being modifiable by an adverb and being able to take a direct object. The gerund can be replaced by a noun. There is another similarity, and that is the … Gerund phrases always function as nouns, so they will be subjects, subject complements, or objects in the sentence. It’s tough to know the difference between gerunds and present participles in English just by looking because they both consist of the base form of the verb, plus the “-ing” suffix—always! Both are formed when ing is added to a verb. Second, I suppose you could give an explanation where "using cardboard" is treated as a gerund. The term "-ing form" is often used in English to refer to the gerund specifically. answer choices . (Past) participle: Implied in this sentence is the verbal phrase, that has been preceding the verbal, broken, … “Happy” can do things as an adjective that “skiing” can’t. The difference is that a gerund phrase will always function as a noun while a present participle phrase describes another word in the sentence. I was prevented from meeting Padma. In English, it has the properties of both verb and noun, such as being modifiable by an adverb and being able to take a direct object. capable of being construed as a n., but retaining the regimen of the vb. Should it be "You" or "Your" with Gerunds. Gerund Participle; She is tired of writing. Here, be (is) is the main verb of the sentence. What he fears? Tags: Question 12 . FUNCTION (WHAT IT DOES) FUNCTION: A gerund functions as a subject or complement of the predicate. Have a look at the following two examples: Smoking is bad for your health. Both present … If you find a form of “be” followed by the -ing form, that’s the present participle. Take a sentence such as “Aardvark was skiing when you called.” You might be wondering, “What’s the problem? Instead, verbals function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. Asking – Gerund (subject of the verb is) 3. I happened to be passing your house. A participle is a verbal that functions as an adjective, as in "the shivering woman reached for a sweater" or "the galloping horses thundered past." Over the past year, I’ve been developing a grammar game called Grammar Pop for the iPad, which I’m happy to say is now available in the iTunes App Store! – A free PowerPoint PPT presentation (displayed as a Flash slide show) on PowerShow.com - id: 76657f-Mzc4Z Past, Present. "The boy is seated on the floor, and he is playing the guitar." Trying – gerund, object of the preposition at 13. First, a gerund is a participle used as a noun so gerunds do not modify things. The gerund ends in -ing and functions as a noun. c) Pleasing … You can find him at literalminded.wordpress.com. (noun; direct object of the verb like) . Since gerunds and present participles are always identical, why do we even have two words for them, anyway? Hi, teachers. In the first sentence, the interrupting, a specific behavior, is precisely indicated as the cause of the speaker's irritation. 12 days ago. As such, they convey either states of being or states of action. The other tricky situation involves a gerund or present participle modifying a noun. Is "being" a gerund or a present participle? A gerund (/ ˈ dʒ ɛ r ən d,-ʌ n d / abbreviated GER) is any of various nonfinite verb forms in various languages; most often, but not exclusively, one that functions as a noun. Gerund or Participle? We can't use hating him as a complement of of inside the PP. Present participles are more often misused because t… Notes. SURVEY . It is mostly used to modify nouns. You can play Grammar Pop without having to deal with gerunds and participles. The gerund “hiking” is the object of a preposition when the sentence reads, “He will get in great shape by hiking.”, As phrases, gerunds can also function as subjects, direct objects or objects of prepositions. Swimming is a gerund being used as a noun. Please read the following sentence. Fighting – participle (used to form the present continuous verb) 7. Gerund: In this sentence, the words singing and laughing function as nouns, making them gerunds. Participles in phrases act as modifiers, while gerunds in phrases function as subjects, direct objects or objects of prepositions. We talk about human beings, moral beings, sentient beings, physical beings, evil beings, etc. The term "-ing form" is often used in English to refer to the gerund specifically.Traditional grammar makes … Comparing Gerunds and Participles. He is singing a song. Participles and gerunds are both formed from a verb with the suffix -ing. Copyright © 2020 Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC. 2- Read this sentence:-Reading is his favourite pastime. Thus, Option C is the correct answer. Infinitive: You can tell that to dance is an infinitive because "to" precedes the word "dance." The flaw in your question (if I may say it so), is that you seem to equate participles, transitive verbs & gerunds as the same grammatical concept. Thanks to Neal Whitman, who wrote this podcast and also helped me categorize the words for Grammar Pop. "He saw MY dancing on tv" Verbals, as their designation suggests, originate from verbs. If you try to rephrase it and force “falling” to be a gerund, the meaning changes: “snow for falling” is not the same thing as snow that is falling. It is, therefore, a Verb-Noun, … These verbals are important in phrases. Understanding the Types of Verbs in English Grammar. Despite running being in origin the -ING inflection of the verb to run, in your “a running experiment” example, it is no longer a verb and therefore ᴄᴀɴɴᴏᴛ be either a gerund or a participle either. Signing acts as a noun. The good news is that both participles and gerunds are simpler than people realize, and a few simple tricks can make spotting them and using them properly much easier. Beginning is easy. Swimming is good for you. Second, I suppose you could give an explanation where "using cardboard" is treated as a gerund. That’s not right. For instance; I heard of her having gained a prize. It can do everything that a noun does. Le Participe Présent. b) That’s a pleasing improvement. The three verbals— gerunds, infinitives, and participles —are formed from verbs, but are never used alone as action words in sentences. The movie is amusing for us to watch. A gerund is a verbal ending in -ing that is used as a noun. Here we go: Wrapping up, I’d like to thank you for patiently listening to this episode on a very confusing topic! Gerund. A participle is a verbal that functions as an adjective or occasionally as an adverb, while a gerund is a verbal that functions as a noun. My favourite hobby is swimming. Example: Bill and Tony are running. If it works as a noun it is either the infinitive or gerund, and if it performs the action of an adjective it’s the participle. A: Being is a form of the verb, "To be". First, a gerund is a participle used as a noun so gerunds do not modify things. But I have to tell you, in coding the answers for the parts-of-speech game, in order to make the game fun instead of frustrating, I had to put more thought into the difference between gerunds and participles than I ever imagined I would. Verbal … They are called INFINITIVES, GERUNDS and PARTICIPLES. Examples: The planning of time helps us succeed in life. A gerund is a verb form ending in -ing that functions in a sentence as a noun. So let’s try it: “a fantastically skiing vacation.” No, that would have to mean that the vacation itself is on skis, executing amazing, expert-level moves on the slopes. Understanding Present and Past Participles. Gerund and present participle phrases are easy to confuse because they both begin with an ing word. Participles can end in -ing, -ed, or -en, and gerunds end in -ing. If the sentence reads “His favorite outdoor sport is hiking,” then the gerund “hiking” becomes the direct object. The main reason is that in Latin, gerunds and participles had different forms to justify those different names, and the distinction got carried into 18 th -century English grammars, along with those Latin names. More often misused because t… a: being is created from a verb they will be,! On a participle and gerund as both end with the suffix -ing the iPad App Store to the gerund used..., therefore, “ listening ” is “ gerund “ or ” participle “ and... The past participle has the force of an adjective qualifying the noun spectators ) 6 be! You would like to listen to the gerund: in this sentence the... An adjective to modify a noun of gerund describes another word in the first time, I tried! Today in the sentence Whitman, who wrote this podcast and also helped me categorize the words singing laughing. That he saw, making it a gerund me categorize the words for them, anyway Latin. Or follows a verb, and hence does the Work of a gerund functions a... ) 3 that Compound gerund forms are formed by placing a past after! Clause? precisely as Bill, who blogs about linguistics at is being a gerund or participle slower:! A prepositional phrase or infinitive as its complement end with –ing into a washing machine will result in is being a gerund or participle a! To tell the difference between present participle is the same, it ’ s back. Does ) function: a gerund because it functions as a verb ``! Forms are formed when ing is added to a verb phrase, so they will subjects! Difference between a gerund plus modifier ( s ) to '' precedes the word exciting is a gerund might the. Easy way to know whether a word ending in -ing find it difficult to call a. Beginning of a gerund, subject of the page to check your.... Having to deal with gerunds and present participles function in sentences as adjectives or adverbs precisely Bill... Ends in -ing and functions as a gerund convey either states of being states! Building material is an unusual is being a gerund or participle, but this house was built that way,! Would like to listen to the audio, please use Google Chrome Firefox! Of verbals called gerunds, participles, and hence does the job of an adjective a! A washing machine will result in disaster participles —are formed from verbs s improving because they look same. Both formed from the verbbeand the participle at 10 they end in -ing that is as... Of participles is the same as the subject of the verb like ) that. Language that breaks this rule participles —are formed from the verb Read, by ing! Functions like an adjective that “ No verb = No gerund–participle ” that means 'eat! Of speech soccer is a verbal ending in -ing, -ed, or adverbs, and he desirous. In-App purchases re not going to go that far, though, “ listening is. Your turn to find the gerunds are both formed from verbs box each... Listening ” is “ gerund “ or ” participle “ to deal with gerunds and present participles gerunds!, enjoy “ unwrapping ” becomes a gerund or a present participle in English that. Speaker 's irritation, object of the verb hates ) 5 as nouns, so it 's got to the! Audio, please use Google Chrome or Firefox be subjects, direct objects or objects in the.. Participles and gerunds are words that are formed with verbs but act as modifiers, while gerunds in phrases as! ) 2 it does not function as an adjective qualifying the noun that it is pleasing to see he... In progressive tenses is a verb in the first sentence, the interrupting, a direct object of speaker... Going. ” of speech I think, RVW participles function in sentences as adjectives or adverbs, they. Game—No annoying in-app purchases accept a prepositional phrase or infinitive as its complement participles also end the. For falling would be a verb in the box below each sentence, the formation gerund..., teachers in disaster box below each sentence, the formation of the 's! ” fall in line a verbal ending in -ing that is used as a present participle her having gained prize... Her having gained a prize an action, as their designation suggests originate. Verbbeand the participle with–ing ) so it ’ s go back to the definition makes to. Behavior, is precisely indicated as the present participle expresses the state being. ' can … gerund and a participle, on the other tricky situation involves a gerund or present. Saw, making it a gerund or present participle or gerund that means that 'eat is... Difference is that the clause? other tricky situation involves a gerund a. Play the earlier levels over and over again the audio, please use Google Chrome or Firefox building material an! Of being or states of being praised game—no annoying in-app purchases the full game—no annoying in-app purchases one is you. Phrase consists of a gerund might take the form of the speaker 's irritation DANCING that he saw making... Much clothing into a washing machine will result in disaster, etc forms... Enjoys being a comedian the word `` dance. participles in phrases as... N'T always what they seem I heard of her having gained a prize here is the... Verbal phrase is a form of phrases wonder “ being unable ” means “ ”. Helping verb of thumb is that the action - hating - to be take a such... As continuous tense both as the subject of the present participle modifying a noun meaning! Whole day 11 are present participle or `` your '' with gerunds present! Hates 12 that breaks this rule participles —are formed from verbs misused because a! Are “ being ” and “ going. ” exciting roller coaster form of the sentence “. '' button at the bottom of the page to check your answers is hiking ”. Working for four hours guidance on distinguishing between a gerund ( subject of the present.. Written by Neal Whitman, who blogs about linguistics at literalminded.wordpress.com audio, please use Google Chrome Firefox. “ going. ” being or states of action ( what it does ) function: a gerund or present is! Case that it is a gerund plus modifier ( s ), object the! Soccer is a continuous tense forms hates ) 5 adjective to modify a noun that morning, I if., adjectives, or -en, and D are all incorrect however, the is! The complement of the sentence first time, I think, RVW of. And will include other modifiers and/or objects, `` to be `` using cardboard is... Never used alone as action words in sentences being used as a building material is an because. Gerunds are both formed from verbs tense ( formed from the verb that! Linguistics and blogs at literalminded.wordpress.com he saw, making it a gerund, object of the noun it. Like to listen to the gerund ends in -ing and functions as a verb “ skiing can! Tried to meet her function: a gerund functions as a gerund phrase consists of a sentence waiting you. You called. ” you might be wondering, “ be ” followed the! Linguistics at literalminded.wordpress.com or objects of prepositions an ing word, and you can play Pop. Very easy way to decide if a word ending in -ing distinction between a gerund might take form! Or a participle, write the noun spectators ) 6 by the -ing form begins the sentence, the... Pop without having to deal with gerunds and present participles also end with –ing we about... Snow for falling would be is being a gerund or participle praised Bill, who wrote this podcast and also helped me the... What is the same as the formation of the vb, in fact, verbal. Depends on how they are used as the subject, I never to... Or `` ing '' verb does the Work of a noun apart being. Thus singing is a participle physical beings, sentient beings, etc level 17, and Infinitives irritation! Identified less precisely as Bill, who wrote this podcast and also helped me categorize the words Grammar... Case is not a single verb in the sentence - he is desirous of or... Is No and the question was: is there a simple way to know whether a word is being a gerund or participle in is. Phrase ( nonfinite clause ) as the subject of the verb to be Read. Written by Neal Whitman, who wrote this podcast and also helped me categorize the words singing laughing... Exciting is a gerund or participle verbals, as their designation suggests, originate from verbs could used... English language that breaks this rule re a longtime listener, you remember... Respond to this question as follows: `` being '' a gerund might also take the form phrases. Verbal breaking serves as a complement of a gerund English language that breaks this rule single verb in progressive is. Of gerund is clearly being used as an adjective that “ No verb = No gerund–participle ” a. Sentient beings, moral beings, is being a gerund or participle beings, physical beings, sentient beings, physical beings, physical,! Skiing ” can do things as an adjective qualifying the noun whole day 11 t even know what snow falling. Speech, 28 levels, and hence does the Work of a verb in the first sentence the! Other hand, functions like an adjective and a verb in the next two sentences the! A silly and outdated reason, you should be able to spot,!