Questions tagged [gerunds]
A gerund is a word that functions as a Noun. It is formed by adding the suffix -ing to the base form of a Verb.
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"Building of [ noun ]" vs "Building [ noun ]"
I was asked by one of my coworkers if there is a difference between "Building of human relationships" and "Building human relationships".
I couldn't find any discussion on this ...
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What is the correct pronoun for the gerund in "It’s hard to imagine me/I/my doing that crime"
It’s hard to imagine me doing that crime
It’s hard to imagine I doing that crime
It’s hard to imagine my doing that crime
Which of the above three sentences is correct? My grammar book said we ...
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Which one out of the two is correct and sounds idiomatic
Me going to a strip club can ruin my social image.
My going to a strip club can ruin my social image.
Well I guess that isn't actually the case. I think using possessive or pronoun actually depends ...
user55625
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What's the difference between "the waiting" and "the wait"?
I've just completed an application to a university. Now I'm writing an e-mail to my friend and was wondering whether finishing with the sentence
And now the waiting begins.
or
And now the wait ...
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Alarm clock needs repairing by you
A new, quite actually exciting, question has occurred in my mind.
I know that when we use need with gerunds, the meaning is passive, for example:
• The cat needs feeding.
So, can we use those need-...
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What is the difference
What is the difference between following sentences:
Parents are being urged to keep an eye on their child.
Parents are urged to keep an eye on their child.
Thanks.
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Is 'so young' an adverb or an adjective in this lyrics 'dying so young'?
I'm listening to a Japanese Anisong's English ver. Eiyu Fate's Song (original title: 英雄 運命の詩) by EGOIST.
There is a part of lyrics like this:
''To give up who you are
and live without your faith
is ...
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“I have a (gerund)” other than desires and wishes
Someone I know is trying to understand the phrase “I have a craving”.
We know the meaning of “craving” - it’s a strong desire, especially for food or drink. And I can think of another word that can be ...
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How many gerunds are in this sentence?
"He made his own ink by burning charcoal and using cheap ordinary packing paper for sketching?
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Offer someone something
I know we can say offer somebody something. In this case can we use gerund insteas of “something” like
He offered me living together.
Isn’t living together noun? If it is noun can it be correct if ...
user128747
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There are some benefits to have/having an experience
Can you help me with this rule?
I have no idea about its name (maybe gerund?).
But Word offers me to change "have" to "having".
Why should (or shouldn't) I do it here?:
There are ...
user127880
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needs its front tyres replacing/replaced
Is the following sentence okay with either "replacing" or "replaced"? If both options are correct, how do you analyze them?
The car needs its front tyres replacing/replaced.
I'd ...
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Infinitive and Gerund Difference: "refused to pay" or "refused paying"
She refused to pay the penalty.
She refused paying the penalty
What is the difference in meaning between these two sentences?
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"for easing restrictions" or "for easing of restrictions"
Today, we often see news headlines like the below examples, and I wonder if there is any difference in nuance between "for easing restrictions" and "for easing of restrictions". Can anyone help me ...
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gerund and infinitive differences
1)Nobody likes being cheated
2)Nobody likes to be cheated
Are both sentences correct? If yes, what is the difference in meaning of the two sentences?
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Helps plus infinitive or gerund
This equipment helps improving people's lives.
This equipment helps to improve people's lives.
Which one is correct?
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Personal pronoun with a gerund or infinitive?
My father never approved _____ a foreigner.
a. her to marry
b. her marrying
c. she marrying
d. she not marry
Please answer the question with an explanation.
Rokibul Islam Rumee
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Using "can't help" construction
Is "can't help" used correctly? If not, what should be changed?
Even in the darkened room I couldn't help seeing Mrs. Jones's face swollen with tears.
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Infinitive after Preposition
As I know, gerunds must be used after prepositions but I heard the sentences below in a movie. Is it possible to use such constructions ?
1-"He is waiting for me to call him" I thought it must be "...
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Is "being raised" Simple Past or Present Perfect?
While this is a legend, there are many modern stories about children being raised by wolves.
If I analyze this carefully from my understanding the context meaning of "being raised" in the sentence ...
Gian Patrick Quintana
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Difference between "on my way to be 25" and "on my way to being 25"
Set 1:
China is close to be the centre of world trade.
China is close to being the centre of world trade.
Set 2:
I am on my way to be 25.
I am on my way to being 25
Which is the correct form, ...
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How to tell whether ing forms are gerunds or participles
So I looked up the meanings of the word "former" and the descriptions were as follows :
Having previously been a particular thing.
Denoting the first or first mentioned of two people or things....
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Can we use verb -ing before that? "saying that" / "showing that"
The final packaging recycling data for 2016 has been published by the EA, showing that overall, the packaging recycling rate rose by 6.8% on 2015 and now stands at almost 65% ... link
A country ...
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Difference between usage of being and having
Whenever I read a sentence using having or being, I feel that they are interchangeable. Is it true? For example,
Do you remember having known more than one Amit, Paul, Anu, or John in
your life?
...
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I need some cleaning
everyone
Sometimes my friends say something that really confuses me.
Here cleaning is used more like a noun(because has an article , "a cleaning") some people call them deverbal nouns.
But I'm just ...
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Are both gerund and infinitive okay? "needed for earning" or "needed to earn"
I am struggling between gerund and infinitive in some cases, to me they look the same, is there a rule to decide or both are okay?
A university diploma is not needed for earning high profits trading ...
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passive Gerunds to express likes or dislikes
I've read these sentences in my grammar book. And it says "we use I like ... and I don't like+gerund/noun". Example sentences are:
I like being obeyed by my students.
I don't like being ...
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"To become" or "to becoming"?
"It will take 7 years for you to become a good doctor" is correct but I would like to know if this would be also correct " It will take 7 years to becoming a good doctor" .
I don't ...
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"I'm committed to deliver results" vs. ". . . delivering results"
I'd like to describe myself in a cover letter as someone who's committed to deliver results, but:
Should I use "deliver" or "delivering"? How do I choose between the two?
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Can I use the construction like "get + gerund" (example: get moving) with continuous and perfect forms?
I guess, I understand about usage of "get moving" or "get doing" in simple.
I always get reading a new book as soon as I have free time.
What about continuous or perfect forms? ...
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Why is the verb bare infinitive correct in "Use of the alternate facilities will…"?
With current record-setting volumes in air travel, vehicle parking at Calgary lntemational
Airport's terminal parkade can reach its maximum capacity during peak periods. The busiest
periods are ...
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In comparison with doing
Can I use in comparison with and compared to with gerunds? I tried to find the answer in WordReference Dictionary, but it only says that they can be used with objects, and nothing about gerunds.
...
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Gerund or infinitive?
The only way to find the Secret Room is solving x.
Is this sentence incorrect? Can we use the gerund here? I assume we can because if we reverse it, it'll be correct (Solving x is the only way to ...
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The use of possesive pronouns with gerunds in the passive voice
Can I use possessive pronouns with gerunds in the passive voice?
In the active voice, a gerund modified by a possesive pronoun would sound like this, for example: "I didn't like his going to New ...
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being paid or to being paid
Could you please tell how these constructions are called and which ones are right?
I admit to being paid by company.
I admit being paid by company.
I enjoyed being paid by company.
I enjoyed to being ...
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what it difficult about this suspect
a. What is difficult about this suspect is to gain information.
b. What is difficult about this suspect is to gain information about him.
c. What is difficult about this suspect is gaining information....
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Normal Gerund or Past form of the Gerund?
I am trying to brush up on my grammar knowledge and I usually contemplate this situation.
Todd Boehly is accused of 'knowing nothing about football' after sacking Thomas Tuchel 😬 (source)
Don't you ...
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Gerund phrases in passive sentences
Read the following sentence
He played the game , knowing that they'd lose.
Here the subject of the highlighted phrase is the subject of the main sentence (ie 'he' is the subject) .
Generally, for the ...
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What is the plural form of boxing (as in box/package)?
What is the plural form of the word "boxing"? In meaning box/package noun. Is "boxings" the correct form in that case? Because I think it's not, it's a gerund and not exception.
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Thank you for + ing or thank you for having + past participle
I'm wondering if there is a difference between the following forms:
Thank you for downloading the file (for + ing)
Thank you for having downloaded the file (for + having + past participle)
Both ...
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Can plural form be the agent of Gerund?
Three men are on a deserted island when they find a lamp with a genie in it. After rubbing the lamp, the genie emerges and says, “I will give each of you one wish.” The first man says, “I wish I were ...
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The structure “V-ing + of + noun”
Chewing of food
Chew food
I am wondering if they are the same.
When and why do we use the structure [ V-ing + "of" + noun ] ?
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Do bare infinitives/to infinitives/gerunds refer to both unfinished action and finished action?
Do infinitives and gerunds refer to both unfinished action and finished action?
For example, I started building a house. In this case, “building a house” refers to unfinished action. I finished ...
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to clear the debris
a. A surgeon is needed to operate on Tom.
b. A surgeon is needed for operating on Tom.
==================
c. Shovels are needed to clear the debris.
d. Shovels are needed for clearing the debris.
...
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Grammatical explanation of participle phrase (or gerund phrase) after verb + noun (see example)
They spend hours watching video on their phones.
In this quote, is the phrase 'watching video on their phones' a present participle phrase or a gerund? If it is a participle phrase, surely it should ...
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Grammar with gerund
I always have a coffee before leaving for work.
I always have a coffee before I leave for work.
Are both correct?
Does before take the gerund?
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Can I use "competing" in place of "competition" in this sentence?
I would like to ask a question about a gerund and a noun.
Here is the phrase in a passage about history:
(1)Always in danger of competition from neighbouring Spain, the Portuguese began subcontracting ...
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how was it to or how was it verb ing
How was it to work with him?
or
How was it, working with him?
Are these both possible? I think the first one is better.
I searched on the internet but did not find any specific info. Both seem to ...
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What kind of grammar construction is this?
I came across this sentence in "English Grammar In Use Supplementary Exercises".
The following sentence is:
"We had hoped to be living (live) in our new house by now, but the builders ...
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Having to close the shop Vs. closing the shop
I read this sentence: " If you could see how worried Mum is about having to close the shop, you couldn’t fail to see that money is really important.”
If I write" ...how worried Mum is about ...
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