1

Courts have had particular problems with situations involving the purchase of software.

What part of speech is "involving" a gerund or a participle?

Improve this question
0

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
1

I would say it's a participle as part of the larger adjectival phrase "involving the purchase of software", which modifies "situations". A gerund is usually only a verbal noun, like "I like eating cake".

Improve this answer
0

It is the present participle in a reduced defining relative clause that is reduced to a present participle:

The complete sentence is:

  • Courts have had particular problems with situations that/which involve the purchase of software.

To reduce a relative clause to a present participle:

  1. Remove the relative pronoun
  2. Change the verb to the present participle form
  3. Place the present participle phrase after the modified noun

Examples:

  • The man who lives near my home walks to work every day. -> Reduced: The man living near my home walks to work every day.
  • The girl who attends my school lives at the end of the street. -> Reduced: The girl attending my school lives at the end of the street.
Improve this answer
2
  • No, the verb doesn't correspond with the progressive aspect in the full relative clause. It should be "Situations which involve the purchase.."
    – Mohd Zulkanien Sarbini
    Jul 5, 2017 at 14:22
  • @user178049 It's indeed so... the reduced relative clause changes the verb to a present participle.
    – SovereignSun
    Jul 5, 2017 at 14:31

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .