Gerund (-ing form) | English Grammar Guide for French Students

• 1 Always end in -ing
• 2 Function as nouns (subjects, objects, complements)
• 3 Can be modified by adjectives and adverbs
• 4 Can take direct objects if transitive

1 Basic rule: Take the base form of the verb and add "-ing"
2 Examples: work → working, eat → eating, study → studying
3 Consistency: The same formation for all persons and tenses
4 Function: Becomes a noun despite looking like a verb

1 Verbs ending in -e: Remove -e and add -ing (love → loving, write → writing)
2 Verbs ending in consonant + y: Keep -y and add -ing (study → studying, try → trying)
3 Verbs ending in vowel + consonant: Double the consonant in some cases (stop → stopping)
4 Irregular patterns: Most verbs follow the simple -ing addition rule

1 Position: At the beginning of the sentence
2 Examples:

• Swimming is good exercise
• Reading helps improve vocabulary
• Studying English requires dedication

3 Verb agreement: Takes singular verb form

1 Position: After transitive verbs
2 Examples:

• I enjoy swimming
• She loves reading
• He avoids studying

3 Verbs that take gerunds: like, love, hate, enjoy, avoid, finish, etc.

1 Position: After prepositions
2 Examples:

• I am interested in learning English
• He is good at playing football
• She succeeded in passing the exam

3 Rule: Always use gerund after prepositions

1 Enjoyment: enjoy, love, like, hate, dislike, appreciate
2 Completion: finish, complete, start, begin, continue
3 Avoidance: avoid, prevent, stop, quit
4 Experience: remember, forget, stop, try
5 Mind-related: mind, consider, suggest, recommend
6 Success/Failure: succeed in, fail in, believe in, consist of

• 1 I enjoy reading novels.
• 2 She suggested going to the cinema.
• 3 He finished writing the report.
• 4 They avoided talking about politics.
• 5 I don't mind waiting for you.

Aspect	Gerund (-ing)	Infinitive (to + base)
Form	Verb + -ing	to + base form
Function	Acts as noun	Can act as noun, adjective, or adverb
After prepositions	Required (after + -ing)	Not used
Examples	enjoy swimming, good at reading	want to go, need to study
Usage with specific verbs	avoid, finish, suggest	decide, plan, want

1 Perfect gerund: having + past participle (having finished)
2 Passive gerund: being + past participle (being watched)
3 Perfect passive: having been + past participle (having been invited)
4 Examples: "I remember having seen that movie" (perfect), "I don't like being disturbed" (passive)

1 Gerund + object: "I love eating ice cream"
2 Gerund + adverb: "She enjoys reading quietly"
3 Gerund + prepositional phrase: "He's interested in learning about science"
4 Function: These phrases function as nouns in sentences

• 1 Using infinitive instead of gerund after prepositions: "interested in to learn" (incorrect)
• 2 Confusing verbs that take gerunds vs. infinitives: "I started reading" vs "I started to read" (both correct in different contexts)
• 3 Thinking gerunds are always actions: "the swimming pool" (noun modification, not gerund)
• 4 Using gerunds incorrectly as adjectives instead of nouns

1 ✓ Correct: "I'm interested in learning English"
2 ✗ Incorrect: "I'm interested in to learn English"
3 ✓ Correct: "Reading is important"
4 ✗ Incorrect: "To read is important" (while this can be correct, gerund is more common for general statements)

1. I enjoy _______ (dance) in my free time.

2. She is good at _______ (sing) folk songs.

3. They avoid _______ (watch) horror movies.

4. He started _______ (run) three months ago.

5. We finished _______ (paint) the house.

6. _______ (swim) is my favorite activity. (function: subject)

7. I am interested in _______ (travel) to different countries. (function: object of preposition)

8. She loves _______ (cook) for her family. (function: direct object)

9. _______ (read) helps expand your vocabulary. (function: subject)

10. He succeeded in _______ (pass) the entrance exam. (function: object of preposition)

1 English: Uses gerunds (-ing) as nouns after prepositions
2 French: Uses infinitive form after prepositions (après avoir mangé, en mangeant)
3 English: Specific verbs require gerunds (avoid + -ing)
4 French: More consistent use of infinitive in similar contexts

• 1 Remember that English uses gerunds after prepositions, not infinitives
• 2 Certain English verbs specifically require gerunds (not interchangeable with infinitives)
• 3 Practice distinguishing between gerunds and present participles
• 4 Focus on the noun function of gerunds

1 After prepositions: Always use gerund (in + -ing)
2 Remember common verbs: "enjoy, avoid, finish" take gerunds
3 Think of gerund as noun: It can be subject, object, or complement
4 Practice with real examples: Use gerunds in daily conversations

• 1 Create sentences about your hobbies using gerunds
• 2 Practice with verbs that specifically require gerunds
• 3 Read English texts to see natural usage patterns
• 4 Focus on the difference between gerunds and present participles

• Gerunds are verbs ending in -ing that function as nouns
• Always use gerunds after prepositions
• Certain verbs specifically require gerunds (avoid, finish, enjoy, etc.)
• Can function as subjects, direct objects, or objects of prepositions
• Form: base verb + -ing (with special rules for certain endings)

Remember: -ing forms as nouns are gerunds!

• Start with common gerund verbs
• Practice with prepositions
• Focus on noun function