What the heck is a... gerund?

Un "gerund" est un nom, formé à partir d'un verbe, qui fait référence à une action, un processus ou un état, et qui se termine par "-ing"

· Grammar

Gerunds are nouns made from verbs

Gerunds (I also call them verbal nouns) look like present participles. A present participle is a verb with an “-ing” ending; for instance, running, cooking, singing, and so on). Gerunds, or verbal nouns, however, are different from present participles. Present participles describe an action that is or was or will be in progress at the moment of speaking (We’re working. / Jimmy was sleeping. / They’ll be driving.). You will remember that as particles these can be used as adjectives.

  • The film was quite interesting: present participle.
  • I was interested in the film: past participle.

A gerund looks like a present participle but is used as a noun. Check the following examples out.

  • She was making dinner. (participle) = I'm running, He's singing in the rain, etc
  • Making dinner is fun. (noun) = Running is hard, Singing in the rain is fun, etc
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