ING FORM The gerund always has the same

'- ING' FORM

The gerund always has the same function as a noun (although it looks like a verb)

So it can be used: a. as the subject of the sentence b. as the complement of the verb 'to be' c. after prepositions. The gerund must be used when a verb comes after a preposition

d. after a number of 'phrasal verbs' which are composed of a verb + preposition/adverb e. in compound nouns f. after the expressions

the subject of the sentence §Hunting elephants is dangerous. §Flying makes me nervous §Eating people is wrong.

the complement of the verb 'to be' §One of his duties is attending meetings. §The hardest thing about learning English is understanding the gerund. §One of life's pleasures is having breakfast in bed.

after prepositions §She is good at painting. §They're keen on windsurfing. §We arrived in Madrid after driving all night.

After 'phrasal verbs' §When are you going to give up smoking? §She always puts off going to the dentist. §He kept on asking for money.

in compound nouns a driving lesson, a swimming pool, bird-watching

after the expressions can't help, can't stand, it's no use/good, and the adjective worth: §I can't stand being stuck in traffic jams. §It's no use/good trying to escape. §It might be worth phoning the station to check the time of the train.

1. The gerund is the -ing form of the verb used as a noun. 2. Frequently, the gerund is preceded by a preposition 3. The gerund is traditionally preceded by the possessive form of the pronoun: She objected to his playing golf on their wedding anniversary.