What is a gerund and how is it formed?

A gerund is a verb form ending in '-ing' that functions as a noun. It's formed by adding '-ing' to the base verb: swim → swimming, read → reading. Gerunds can be subjects, objects, or follow prepositions.

What is the difference between a gerund and a present participle?

Both end in '-ing', but gerunds function as nouns while present participles function as verbs or adjectives. Compare: 'Swimming is fun' (gerund as subject) vs 'She is swimming' (present participle in continuous tense).

Which verbs are followed by gerunds?

Common verbs followed by gerunds include: enjoy, finish, avoid, consider, suggest, mind, keep, practice, and admit. For example: 'I enjoy reading books' or 'She finished studying at midnight.'

When do I use a gerund after a preposition?

Use a gerund after any preposition (in, on, at, about, of, without, etc.). 'He is good at cooking.' 'I'm interested in learning Spanish.' 'She left without saying goodbye.' The verb must be in -ing form.

What are common expressions followed by gerunds?

Common ones include: 'look forward to', 'be used to', 'get used to', 'can't help', 'it's no use', 'it's worth', 'have difficulty (in)'. 'I look forward to meeting you.' 'It's worth trying.'

How do I use gerunds as subjects?

Use them at the beginning of a sentence. 'Drinking water is important.' 'Learning English takes time.' 'Working from home has advantages.' This is common for making general statements.

Can I use a gerund after 'to'?

Yes, but only when 'to' is a preposition, not part of the infinitive. In phrases like 'look forward to' or 'be/get used to', 'to' is a preposition. 'I'm not used to driving on the left.'

What is the difference between 'stop to do' and 'stop doing'?

'Stop doing' means to end an activity. 'Stop talking!' 'Stop to do' means to pause one activity to do another. 'She stopped to buy a coffee.' (She stopped walking in order to buy coffee).

CEFR A2

Gerunds

Learn to use verb + -ing forms as nouns in English sentences. Master when to use gerunds as subjects, objects, and after prepositions.

Gerunds

What You Will Learn

Gerunds are verb + -ing forms that function as nouns. They are used as subjects, objects, and after certain verbs and prepositions.

Understand what gerunds are: verb + -ing used as nouns

Know when to use gerunds: as subjects, after certain verbs, after prepositions

Master common verbs that require gerunds (enjoy, avoid, finish, etc.)

Use gerunds in everyday conversations and writing

What Are Gerunds?

A gerund is a verb + -ing used as a NOUN. It can be a subject, object, or follow a preposition.

Swimming is good exercise. (subject)I enjoy cooking. (object)She is good at singing. (after preposition)

Gerund vs present continuous

'Swimming is fun.' — gerund (swimming = noun, the subject of the sentence). 'She is swimming.' — present continuous (swimming = part of the verb tense). Context tells you which it is.

A gerund is a verb + -ing form that functions as a noun. It looks like a verb but acts like a noun in a sentence.

Verb vs Gerund

Verb (action):

"I swim every day."

Gerund (noun):

"Swimming is my hobby."

Key Characteristics

✓ Verb + -ing ending

✓ Functions as a noun in sentence

✓ Can be subject, object, or complement

✓ Used after certain verbs and prepositions

Simple Rule!

Gerunds are verb + -ing forms that act like nouns. Use them when you want to talk about activities as things.

✓ Verb: "I cook dinner." (action)

✓ Gerund: "Cooking is fun." (activity as subject)

✓ Verb: "She reads books." (action)

✓ Gerund: "She enjoys reading." (activity as object)

A Weekend of Activities

Swimming is Sarah's favorite way to start the weekend. She enjoys going to the pool early in the morning.

After swimming, she practices playing the guitar at home. She is interested in learning new songs.

In the afternoon, she avoids watching TV and suggests meeting friends for coffee instead.

They discussed going to a new restaurant for dinner. Cooking at home is fun, but eating out is a nice change.

Notice how every bold word is a gerund — a verb + -ing form used as a noun. Gerunds let us talk about activities as things we enjoy, avoid, or discuss.

Gerunds Usage Chart

Learn the different ways to use gerunds in English sentences.

Usage	Example	Explanation
As subject of sentence	Swimming is fun.	Gerund acts like a noun as subject
After certain verbs	I enjoy reading.	Verbs like enjoy, avoid, finish, mind
After prepositions	I'm good at cooking.	After at, in, on, about, of, etc.
After phrasal verbs	She gave up smoking.	After verb + preposition combinations
As object of sentence	My hobby is painting.	Gerund follows linking verb 'be'
After expressions	It's worth trying.	Expressions like 'it's worth', 'can't help'

Verb	Category	Example with Gerund
enjoy	likes/dislikes	"I enjoy swimming."
avoid	avoidance	"He avoids eating sugar."
finish	completion	"She finished working."
mind	permission	"Do you mind waiting?"
practice	repetition	"They practice speaking."
consider	thought	"We considered moving."
suggest	advice	"I suggest trying again."
miss	emotion	"I miss seeing you."

Important Notes

✓ Some verbs can be followed by either gerunds or infinitives with little difference: "I like swimming" / "I like to swim"

✓ Some verbs have different meanings with gerunds vs infinitives: "I stopped smoking" (quit) vs "I stopped to smoke" (pause)

✓ Gerunds are always singular: "Swimming is fun" (not "are fun")

✓ Use possessive adjectives before gerunds when talking about who does the action: "I appreciate your helping me"

✓ Gerunds can have objects: "I enjoy reading books" ("books" is object of "reading")

Quick Practice

Complete the sentences with gerunds:

1. __________ (swim) is good for your health.

2. She enjoys __________ (read) mystery novels.

3. He finished __________ (do) his homework.

4. They practice __________ (speak) English every day.

💡 💡 Check your answers

1. Swimming is good for your health.

2. She enjoys reading mystery novels.

3. He finished doing his homework.

4. They practice speaking English every day.

Gerunds as Subjects & Objects

Learn how gerunds can function as both subjects and objects in sentences.

Gerunds as Subjects

At beginning of sentence

"Swimming is good exercise."

"Reading improves your vocabulary."

"Learning English takes time."

"Cooking can be very relaxing."

With complements

"Eating vegetables is healthy."

"Driving at night is dangerous."

"Working from home is convenient."

"Traveling broadens your mind."

Gerunds as Objects

After verbs

"I enjoy swimming."

"She avoids eating junk food."

"He finished working at 5 PM."

"We practice speaking English."

After prepositions

"I'm good at cooking."

"She's interested in learning Spanish."

"He's tired of working so much."

"They talked about moving to a new city."

As object of "be"

"My hobby is painting."

"His job is teaching English."

"Her passion is dancing."

"Our plan is traveling next year."

Practice Exercises

Identify the gerund and its function

1. "Swimming is my favorite sport." (Subject/Object?)

2. "I enjoy reading books." (Subject/Object?)

3. "Her job is teaching children." (Subject/Object?)

4. "They discussed buying a new car." (Subject/Object?)

💡 💡 Check your answers

1. Swimming - Subject

2. reading - Object (of "enjoy")

3. teaching - Object (of "is")

4. buying - Object (of "discussed")

Want to try a Gerunds quiz?

Practice with multiple choice questions

Gerunds in Daily Life

See how gerunds are used in different real-life situations.

Hobbies & Interests

Physical activities

"Swimming keeps me fit."

"I enjoy running in the park."

"Dancing is a great way to exercise."

Creative activities

"She loves painting landscapes."

"Writing stories is his hobby."

"I'm interested in learning guitar."

"My favorite hobbies include reading books and watching movies. I also enjoy cooking new recipes on weekends."

Work & Study

Work activities

"Meeting clients is part of my job."

"I finished writing the report."

"She avoids working overtime."

Study habits

"Studying regularly helps you learn."

"He practices speaking English daily."

"We discussed doing more research."

"At work, I enjoy solving problems and helping customers. I finished preparing the presentation yesterday."

Daily Activities

Home life

"Cooking dinner takes about an hour."

"I don't mind cleaning the house."

"She enjoys gardening on weekends."

"Shopping for groceries is necessary."

Social life

"We discussed going to the cinema."

"He suggested meeting for coffee."

"I miss seeing my friends regularly."

"They enjoy traveling together."

"On weekends, I enjoy sleeping late and relaxing at home. Sometimes I suggest going out for dinner with friends."

Ready to test your Gerunds knowledge?

Challenge yourself with fill-in-the-blank exercises

Common Mistakes

❌ I enjoy to swim.

✓ I enjoy swimming.

'Enjoy' must be followed by gerund, not infinitive

❌ She finished to do her homework.

✓ She finished doing her homework.

'Finish' must be followed by gerund, not infinitive

❌ He is good at cook.

✓ He is good at cooking.

After prepositions, use gerund (-ing form), not base verb

❌ They discussed to go on vacation.

✓ They discussed going on vacation.

'Discuss' must be followed by gerund, not infinitive

❌ Swimming are fun.

✓ Swimming is fun.

Gerunds are singular - use 'is', not 'are'

❌ I'm interested in learn Spanish.

✓ I'm interested in learning Spanish.

After 'interested in', use gerund, not base verb

Master Gerunds sentence building!

Drag and drop words to form correct sentences

Practicing with Gerunds

Learn effective strategies for mastering gerunds.

Learning Strategies

Learn common verb patterns

✓ Enjoy/like/love + gerund: talking about preferences

✓ Avoid/finish/practice + gerund: specific actions

✓ Consider/suggest/discuss + gerund: thoughts and plans

Learn common preposition patterns

✓ Good/bad at + gerund: skills and abilities

✓ Interested in + gerund: interests and hobbies

✓ Tired of + gerund: feelings about activities

Practice Techniques

Talk about your life

✓ Describe your hobbies using gerunds

✓ Talk about what you enjoy doing

✓ Discuss activities you avoid or finish

✓ Practice using gerunds as subjects

Create sentences

✓ Write about activities using different verb + gerund combinations

✓ Practice changing regular verbs to gerund forms

✓ Create sentences with gerunds as subjects

✓ Use gerunds after different prepositions

Practice Exercise

Complete the sentences with gerunds:

1. __________ (exercise) regularly is important for health.

2. She suggested __________ (go) to the new restaurant.

3. He is tired of __________ (work) long hours.

4. They finished __________ (clean) the house before the guests arrived.

💡 💡 Check your answers

1. Exercising regularly is important for health.

2. She suggested going to the new restaurant.

3. He is tired of working long hours.

4. They finished cleaning the house before the guests arrived.

Practice Tips

Remember: Gerunds = verb + -ing used as nouns

Common verbs with gerunds: enjoy, avoid, finish, practice, suggest

After prepositions, always use gerunds: "good at cooking", "interested in learning"

Gerunds as subjects are always singular: "Swimming is fun" (not "are fun")

Practice with your own hobbies and daily activities to make it relevant

Speaking Practice

To practice your pronunciation, listen to the native speaker audio first. Then 'Record' yourself repeating what you heard, then use the 'Playback' button to compare your pronunciation with the native speaker. If you want to record yourself again, simply click 'Delete'!

Swimming is good exercise.

I enjoy reading books.

She avoids eating junk food.

He finished doing his homework.

We discussed going on vacation.

She is interested in learning Spanish.

They practice speaking English every day.

I don't mind waiting for you.

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