Review Board is now open! Submit your Short Prose, Poetry, and Book today!

Day(s)

:

Hour(s)

:

Minute(s)

:

Second(s)

Deadline: Thursday, February 22nd

The Joys of Gerunds

An important key to having your creative writing published is to use proper grammar. In this article you will come to better understand English grammar through one commonly used verb form: gerunds.

What is a gerund? Does the definition have something to do with Jer’s errands? Well, if his legs are tired from all the running, then running is the gerund! Let us explain.

Quite simply, a gerund is a word that has -ing added to a base verb, which is the present participle of a verb. The difference is that gerunds are used as nouns. (Driving is required.) When the verb in the -ing form is used as a verb or an adjective, it is usually a present participle. (She was fishing for compliments.)

Reading, writing, and thinking are things you may do when you see this article. In fact, in that last sentence, we used a gerund phrase as the subject of the sentence.

Submit to Review Board

Here are other examples of how gerunds function:

1. Object of a preposition: After brushing her teeth, she went to bed.
**Be careful not to dangle the gerund.
Right: After learning the specifics, he could make plans easily. (He learns.)
Wrong: After learning the specifics, plans were easily made. (Plans do not learn.)

2. Object of a verb: She loves singing in the shower.

3. Subject of a verb: Writing is a difficult task.

4. Subject complement with a linking verb: His errors were making him crazy.

5. Possessive noun: One of my pet peeves is hearing his singing to the radio.
Wrong: One of my pet peeves is hearing him singing to the radio.

6. In a passive sense (used after the verbs want, need, or require): This house needs cleaning.

7. After a preposition—if you use a verb after a preposition, you must use a gerund (no exceptions): Please sign the memo before leaving.

For writing services, including proofreading, formatting, and submission strategies, visit Writer’s Relief online.

3 Comments

  1. Angela

    Just the other day someone asked me what gerunds are. I him that
    they are the ing endings we tag onto words. Man, I’m glad I was
    right!

    Reply
  2. Aba Cab

    I think “making” in example point #4 is a verb, not a noun. “Were making” is the past progressive tense.

    Reply
  3. rodney Burke

    yeah, I got a grip! my writing group seems to have a problem with gerund. they seem to want me to use a different form of the verb. I want to USE a gerund! What’s wrong with them?

    Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Review Board is now open! Submit your Short Prose, Poetry, and Book today!

Day(s)

:

Hour(s)

:

Minute(s)

:

Second(s)

 

 

See ALL the services we offer, from
FREE to Full Service!

Click here for a Writer’s Relief
Full Service Overview

Search

Reviews

“Getting that first poem published was the hardest threshold to cross. My team at Writer’s Relief kept encouraging me…then came the acceptance! We celebrated…then I continued writing, and Writer’s Relief continued doing the wonderful work they do!”

—King Grossman, Writer
(Watch King’s video testimonial here!)

“Every piece I have sent out with their help has been accepted for publication! I am looking forward to working with the team on getting my new novel out into the world.”

Services Catalog

Free Publishing Leads
and Tips!

Featured Articles



Featured Video

Follow us!



YES, IT'S MY LUCKY DAY!
Sign me up for
FREE Publishing Leads & Tips
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

WHY? Because our insider
know-how has helped
writers get over 18,000 acceptances.

FREE Publishing Leads and Tips! Our e-publication, Submit Write Now!, delivered weekly to your inbox.
  • BEST (and proven) submission tips
  • Hot publishing leads
  • Calls to submit
  • Contest alerts
  • Notification of industry changes
  • And much more!
close-link


STOP! BEFORE YOU GO...
Sign me up for
FREE Publishing Leads & Tips
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

WHY? Because our insider
know-how has helped
writers get over 18,000 acceptances.

FREE Publishing Leads and Tips! Our e-publication, Submit Write Now!, delivered weekly to your inbox.
  • BEST (and proven) submission tips
  • Hot publishing leads
  • Calls to submit
  • Contest alerts
  • Notification of industry changes
  • And much more!
close-link

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This