The gerund
Use -ing forms as nouns after verbs and prepositions.
You have met -ing forms used as adjectives. This lesson shows how an -ing form can also act as a noun.
A gerund is an -ing form of a verb that does the work of a noun.
Examples
- Reading calms my mind.
- Tara loves dancing.
- He is afraid of flying.
- Thank you for helping me.
- I am used to waking up early.
How it works
As subject
A gerund or gerund phrase can be the subject of a sentence.
Walking after dinner aids digestion.
As object
Some verbs, such as enjoy, avoid, finish, mind, suggest and keep, are followed by a gerund, not an infinitive.
Please avoid using your phone in meetings.
After a preposition
A verb that comes right after a preposition is always a gerund.
She is good at drawing maps.
When to is a preposition
In phrases such as look forward to, be used to and object to, the word to is a preposition, so a gerund follows.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Quick reference
| Type | Words | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verbs | enjoy, finish, avoid | He finished painting the wall. |
| Verbs | mind, suggest, keep | She kept talking. |
| Adjective + preposition | fond of, good at, tired of | I am tired of waiting. |
| Verb + preposition | insist on, think of | They insisted on paying. |
| Phrases with to | look forward to, be used to | He is used to working late. |
Common mistakes
✕I enjoy to cook on Sundays.
✓I enjoy cooking on Sundays.
Enjoy is followed by a gerund.
✕She is interested in learn French.
✓She is interested in learning French.
A verb after the preposition in must be a gerund.
✕I look forward to meet you.
✓I look forward to meeting you.
Here to is a preposition, so a gerund follows.
Worked example
Exercise 1
Tap the gerund.
Cycling is good for health.
✓Cycling
Cycling is an -ing form acting as the subject of the sentence.
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