Verbs

Gerunds in English Grammar

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Published on by Grammargeek
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B1 EnglishB2 English

In this article, you will learn everything about gerunds in English. Gerunds are an important part of grammar. This article includes sections on what a gerund is, how to use gerunds with examples, and specific uses like being the subject of a sentence, a direct object, a subject complement, or the object of a preposition.

Whether you are writing or speaking English, knowing how to use gerunds will help you express yourself clearly. This article will also offer video and ESL worksheets to assist your learning. Dive in and master the use of gerunds in your everyday language!

What Is A Gerund?

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Gerunds are verbals that function as nouns and have an –ing ending.

Gerund examples:

  • I am waiting. (Present Participle)
    • “Waiting” here is part of the verb; it is not a gerund.
  • I don’t like waiting. (Present Simple)
    • “Waiting” is the direct object of this sentence.

How to Use Gerunds with Examples

The Gerund Can be Used as Subject of a Sentence

  • Writing in English is difficult.
  • Watching TV is my favorite pastime.

The Gerund Can be Used as Direct Object of a Sentence

  • I like writing in English.
  • I love going out to restaurants.

The Gerund Can be Used as a Subject Complement

  • My cat’s favorite activity is sleeping.
  • One of his duties is doing homework.

The Gerund Can be Used as an Object of a Preposition

  • We shall be interested in hearing your comments.
  • Would you like to walk instead of taking the bus?

The Gerund Can be Used after Certain Expressions

  • It’s no use tying it; you have to glue it.
  • There’s no point in wasting time.
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B1 Knowledge Check · 5 questions

Gerunds Practice Quiz (B1-B2)

1 / 5
Q1

Question 1: My sister enjoys ___ new recipes on weekends.

Question 1 options
'Trying' is correct because the verb 'enjoy' is always followed by a gerund (verb + -ing), not an infinitive or base form. 'To try' (infinitive) and 'tried' (past tense) are incorrect after 'enjoy', and 'try' (base form) cannot follow a verb directly here.
Q2

Question 2: In the sentence 'Swimming every morning keeps her healthy,' what role does 'Swimming' play?

Question 2 options
'Swimming' is a gerund functioning as the subject of the sentence. It names the activity being discussed, which is the noun role, not a verb tense, adjective, or adverb role.
Q3

Question 3: Customer: 'Why don't we save time by ___ the form online instead of printing it?' Assistant: 'Good idea! That's much faster.'

Question 3 options
'Completing' is correct because after the preposition 'by', a gerund must be used. 'Complete' (base form), 'to complete' (infinitive), and 'completed' (past form) cannot follow a preposition.
Q4

Question 4: His main goal this year is ___ a new skill that will help his career.

Question 4 options
'Developing' is correct because a gerund is used as a subject complement after the linking verb 'is' to rename or describe the subject. 'Developed', 'develop', and 'to developing' are not standard grammatical completions in this complement position with the same function.
Q5

Question 5: Match each sentence to the correct grammar label.

Question 5 options
Cooking healthy meals takes time and effort.
I really enjoy hiking in the mountains.
Her greatest passion is painting landscapes.
He improved his English by practising every day.
Gerund as subject
Gerund as object of a preposition
Gerund as subject complement
Gerund as direct object

Select an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.

Gerunds function as nouns and can serve as the subject, direct object, subject complement, or object of a preposition in a sentence.

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