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    Gerunds: Active Passive Simple GERUND Perfect GERUND

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    Minja
    The gerund is a verb form ending in "-ing" that can be used as a noun. It can be active or passive, and simple or perfect. The simple gerund can refer to the same time or an earlier time than the main verb. The perfect gerund always refers to an earlier time. Passive gerunds are also possible. Gerunds have no tense but can indicate the timing of the action relative to the main verb.

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    Gerunds: Active Passive Simple GERUND Perfect GERUND

    Uploaded by

    Minja
    183 views2 pages
    The gerund is a verb form ending in "-ing" that can be used as a noun. It can be active or passive, and simple or perfect. The simple gerund can refer to the same time or an earlier time than the main verb. The perfect gerund always refers to an earlier time. Passive gerunds are also possible. Gerunds have no tense but can indicate the timing of the action relative to the main verb.

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    - GERUND

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    The gerund is a verb form ending in "-ing" that can be used as a noun. It can be active or passive, and simple or perfect. The simple gerund can refer to the same time or an earlier time than the main verb. The perfect gerund always refers to an earlier time. Passive gerunds are also possible. Gerunds have no tense but can indicate the timing of the action relative to the main verb.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    183 views2 pages

    Gerunds: Active Passive Simple GERUND Perfect GERUND

    Uploaded by

    Minja
    The gerund is a verb form ending in "-ing" that can be used as a noun. It can be active or passive, and simple or perfect. The simple gerund can refer to the same time or an earlier time than the main verb. The perfect gerund always refers to an earlier time. Passive gerunds are also possible. Gerunds have no tense but can indicate the timing of the action relative to the main verb.

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    GERUNDS

    The gerund is an -ing form. It is formed by the base form of the verb+-ing.
    It can be simple or perfect, active or passive:

      Active Passive
    writing being written
    Simple GERUND
    asking being asked
    having written having been written
    Perfect GERUND
    having asked having been asked

    Note the changes in spelling when forming the simple gerund:

    read » reading
    study » studying
    grow » growing
    relax » relaxing
    answer » answering
    write » writing; argue » arguing (a final -e is omitted)
    agree » agreeing (a final -ee does not change)
    lie » lying (a final -ie changes to -y-)
    put » putting; regret » regretting; readmit » readmitting (we double the final consonant
    if the verb ends in consonant-vowel-consonant, with the exception of w, x and y, and
    only has one syllable or has the stress on the last syllable)

    In the negative, NOT usually comes before the gerund:

    There is no point in applying for the grant.


    There is no point in not applying for the grant.

    In some cases, the verb in the main clause is negative, not the gerund:

    I like getting up early.


    I don't like getting up early.

    As the gerund has no tense, it does not in itself indicate the time of the action that it
    refers to. However, it can show whether this time is the same as or earlier than the time
    of the verb in the main clause.

    SIMPLE GERUND
    1
    The simple gerund can refer to the same time as that of the verb in the main clause:

    I hate arguing with you. (arguing refers to the same time as hate: I hate when we
    argue.)
    Tom suggested going back to our tents. (going refers to the same time as suggested:
    Tom suggested that we should go back to our tents.)

    The simple gerund can also refer to a time before that of the verb in the main clause:

    I don't remember saying anything like that. (saying refers to a time before don't
    remember: I don't remember that I said anything like that.)
    She regretted not studying harder when she was at school. (not studying refers to a
    time before regretted: She regretted that she hadn't studied harder when he was at
    school.)

    PERFECT GERUND

    The perfect gerund refers to a time before that of the verb in the main clause.
    However, it is only used if the time of the action expressed by the gerund is not obvious
    from the context:

    He denied being married. (the simple gerund being refers to the same time as denied:
    He denied that he was married.)

    He denied having been married. (the perfect gerund having been refers to a time
    before denied: He denied that he had been married.)

    If it is clear that an earlier time is meant, we use the simple gerund:

    He denied stealing the car. (He denied that he had stolen the car.)

    PASSIVE GERUNDS

    Passive forms are also possible:

    I hate being lied to. (passive simple gerund: I hate it when people lie to me.)
    He complained of having been unjustly accused. (passive perfect gerund: He
    complained that they had unjustly accused him.

    N.B. You can read additional notes in your student's book, Grammar & Language
    inFocus pages 124-125.

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