Gerund Subjects: referring to activities

Gerunds as Subjects of Clauses

Referring to activities

A Noun Phrase vs. A Gerund

NOUN PHRASE			GERUND
The typical subject has the form of a noun phrase. noun → a person, a place, animal, thing, or concept; noun phrase → noun + (determiner and/or modifiers)			A gerund can also function as the subject of a sentence. A gerund is the base+ -ing form of the verb, which is not marked for tense, person, or number . A gerund clause includes a gerund and other modifiers and noun phrases.
SUBJECT: NOUN PHRASE Computers (noun)	VERB save	VERB COMPLEMENT a lot of time	SUBJECT: GERUND CLAUSE Computing (gerund)	VERB saves	VERB COMPLEMENT a lot of time.
Online study (prep phrase + noun)	is	very convenient.	Studying online (gerund + prep phrase)	is	very convenient.
The online practices	help	students without books. (prep. phrase)	Using online practices (gerund + noun phrase)	helps	students without books. (who have no books)

In linguistics, this grammatical structure is called a nonfinite clause with a gerund-participle verb form.
complement (n.) – a word, phrase or clause which is necessary in a sentence to complete its meaning
gerund-participle (n.) – present linguistic analysis does not support the traditional distinction between a gerund and a participle (CaGEL 82, 1220)

Subordinate vs. Gerund Clause as Subject

SUBORDINATE CLAUSE AS SUBJECT			GERUND CLAUSE AS SUBJECT
A subject can also have the form of a subordinate clause. However, this wording can be "heavy" or "wordy" at the front of a sentence.			Instead, we tend to use a gerund clause. The gerund (-ing form) no longer carries information about tense, person or number. While the subject of the gerund clause is often omitted (understood from context) it may be kept in a possessive form (he → his, she → her, us → our, etc.)
SUBJECT: FULL CLAUSE That people use a computer	VERB saves	VERB COMPLEMENT a lot of time.	SUBJECT: GERUND CLAUSE Using a computer	VERB saves	VERB COMPLEMENT a lot of time. (general)
That we have been using a computer	saves	a lot of time.	Our using a computer (subj. included)	saves	a lot of time. (more specific)
That Jason is using a computer	saves	a lot of time.	*Jason's using a computer (subj. included)	saves	a lot of time. (very specific)
That people can study online	IS / WAS is	very convenient.	Studying online	IS / WAS is	very convenient. (general)
That you and I are studying online	is	very convenient.	Our studying online (subj. included)	is	very convenient. (more specific)
That Mary studies online	is	very convenient.	*Mary's studying online (subj. included)	is	very convenient. (very specific)

*When specifying a name, a gerund clause is less commonly used, but not incorrect. (Jason's use of a computer… Mary's studies online… )
Also see That/What Clauses, It–Subject Clauses, * It is + adjective for

Agreement

SINGULAR	PLURAL
Use singular verb agreement with a gerund activity.	Use plural verb agreement with more than one gerund activity.
Reading books is important for learning vocabulary.	Reading and listening the television are two ways to improve your vocabulary.
Texting while you are driving is dangerous.	Typing and texting are activities that require a keyboard.

Gerunds

Spelling

ADD -ING	REMOVE E, ADD -ING	DOUBLE THE FINAL CONSONANT, ADD -ING
For most words, add -ing.	For words ending in e, remove the e and add -ing.	For words ending with a stressed [consonant + short vowel + consonant] pattern, double the final consonant and add -ing.
wash – washing (one syllable)	choose – choosing	win – winning
dry – drying	time – timing	be-gín – beginning
trá-vel – traveling (travelling Eng-Br)	love – loving	per-mít – permitting (stressed CVC pattern)
cán-cel – canceling (cancelling Eng-Br)	confuse – confusing	oc-cúr – occurring

Consonant Doubling after Short Vowels

These words contain "short" vowel sounds. Double the final consonant before adding -ing

short a — /næp/	short e — /wɛd/	short i — /swɪm/	short o — /tʃɒp/	short u — /hʌg/
nap	wed	swim	chop	run
nap – napping	wed – wedding	swim – swimming	chop – chopping	run – running
wrap – wrapping	step – stepping	hit – hitting	jog – jogging	sun – sunning
bag – bagging	set – setting	win – winning	nod – nodding	hug – hugging
bat – batting	beg – begging	kid (joke) – kidding	spot – spotting	shut – shutting

Grammar Notes

Traditional Grammar vs. Linguistic Description

(Advanced)

Traditional vs. Modern Sentence Diagramming

TRADITIONAL GRAMMAR	LINGUISTIC DESCRIPTION
In traditional grammar, the gerund is described as a verbal-noun. The gerund form is the base verb form and -ing [verb-ing]. The "gerund" is a verbal-noun which is distinct from the "participle" which is a verbal-adjective.	In modern linguistic analysis, the gerund is categorized as a secondary verb form (not inflected with tense or person, and rarely including a subject in its clause.) The gerund is no longer distinguished from the participle. (CaGEL 82, 1220) Linguistic analyses could not uphold the verbal noun– verbal adjective distinction. Hence, the current term is gerund-participle (which does not include past participles, -ed forms). (Swan 293-300) See Primary v. Secondary Verb Forms
Reed-Kellogg System – Link	Parse Tree – Link

TRADITIONAL GRAMMAR

LINGUISTIC DESCRIPTION

In traditional grammar, the gerund is described as a verbal-noun. The gerund form is the base verb form and -ing [verb-ing]. The "gerund" is a verbal-noun which is distinct from the "participle" which is a verbal-adjective.

In modern linguistic analysis, the gerund is categorized as a secondary verb form (not inflected with tense or person, and rarely including a subject in its clause.) The gerund is no longer distinguished from the participle. (CaGEL 82, 1220) Linguistic analyses could not uphold the verbal noun– verbal adjective distinction. Hence, the current term is gerund-participle (which does not include past participles, -ed forms). (Swan 293-300) See Primary v. Secondary Verb Forms

Reed-Kellogg System – Link

Parse Tree – Link

Clause; Subject / Predicate; Finite / Nonfinite; NP –noun phrase; N – noun; VP – verb phrase; V – verb; Comp – complement; Det– determiner; PP – prepositional phrase; P – preposition
Also see Reed-Kellogg diagram.

Resources and Works Cited

Practice 1

Using Parallel Phrasing in Bulleted Lists

Ebay — Buying, Selling and Trading

Ebay is the Internet version of the "flea market". People can list items they would like to sell and find items they'd like to buy. The eBay site allows users to search for item descriptions. Sellers can post their items, change the item category, showcase the item and view bids on the item.

Purchasers can verify the item's authenticity, purchase insurance, put the item in escrow and even get help resolving disputes. Buying, selling and trading are very efficiently done via the Web.

Create a bulleted list of activities that eBay enables its users to do.

Enter / Type the correct word form into the blank. (Use a gerund, a parallel, word form. That is, noun and verb forms should not be mixed: nouns or noun phrases; verbs or verb phrases; adjectives or adjective phrases.
Check your answer.

#	REPHRASE THIS	GERUND FORM
1.	People can list items they want to sell	items they want to sell
2.	and find items they want to buy.	items they want to buy
3.	Users can search for item descriptions.	for item descriptions
4.	and change their item's category.	their item's category
5.	They can feature their item in the showcase	their item in the showcase
6.	and view bids.	bids
7.	There is a service to verify an item's authenticity verify authenticity (v) – make sure it truly is what the seller says it is	an item's authenticity
8.	and another service to purchase insurance.	insurance
9.	For large sums of money, they can put the item in escrow. escrow (n.) – a service that holds the money while the agreement is being made	the item in escrow
10.	If problems arise, users can request dispute resolution. (someone who will help settle an argument)	dispute resolution.

Practice 2

Gerund Word Form Spellings

Write the correct spelling of the verb in the blank.
Then check your answer.

#	YOUR RESPONSE	CHECK ANSWER
11.	There are two parts to a good story.
12.	The of telling a joke is half of the art.
13.	Not the punchline is critical. punchline (n.) – final line in a joke
14.	is a different art which doesn't include a story.
15.	is a kind of humor in which someone says something untrue for an effect.
16.	to make people laugh often doesn't work.
17.	through a story should take some time.
18.	through a joke too quickly doesn't give listeners enough time to use their imaginations.
19.	up the details of a joke is like weaving cloth. weave (v.) – making a textile, cloth
20.	the joke to the audience is essential. relate (v.) – to connect; to feel you understand someone's problem essential (adj.) – important
21.	When a comedian isn't getting many laughs, this is called
22.	Another expression for a comedian who isn't doing well on stage is
23.	laughs from an audience is a rewarding feeling.
24.	a good actor helps when telling a joke.
25.	a good memory helps a lot too.
26.	people smile is priceless. priceless (adj.) – extremely valuable, no one can put a price on it

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