What is Gerund and How to use it?

Summary

In this educational video, the speaker introduces gerunds, explaining their definition as the -ing form of verbs that function as nouns. The video details the four primary functions of gerunds: as subjects, objects of verbs, objects of prepositions, and subject complements. Through clear examples, viewers learn how to properly use gerunds in sentences, enhancing their understanding of English grammar. The speaker encourages questions to ensure comprehension, aiming to help learners implement gerunds effectively in both speaking and writing.

Takeaways

• 😀 Gerunds are the '-ing' forms of verbs that function as nouns in sentences.
• 😀 Gerunds can act as the subject of a sentence (e.g., 'Swimming is my hobby').
• 😀 Gerunds are used as objects of verbs when specific verbs require them (e.g., 'I like swimming').
• 😀 Gerunds can follow prepositions in a sentence (e.g., 'I am interested in speaking English').
• 😀 Gerunds serve as subject complements to complete the meaning of a subject (e.g., 'My hobby is swimming').
• 😀 Although gerunds look like verbs, they are treated as nouns and can be used in various roles in sentences.
• 😀 The correct transformation of verbs into gerunds involves adding '-ing' (e.g., 'read' becomes 'reading').
• 😀 Gerunds help provide clear and complete information in sentences by filling in missing subject details (e.g., 'One of my duties is supervising the team').
• 😀 When using a gerund as an object after prepositions, it changes the verb into its '-ing' form (e.g., 'I am excited about going on vacation').
• 😀 The tutorial concludes by encouraging viewers to ask questions for further understanding of gerunds.

Q & A

What is a gerund?

A gerund is the '-ing' form of a verb that functions as a noun in a sentence.

Can you give examples of gerunds?

Examples of gerunds include swimming, teaching, reading, and writing. These are the '-ing' forms of verbs like swim, teach, read, and write.

How can gerunds be used as the subject of a sentence?

Gerunds can be used as the subject of a sentence, such as 'Swimming is my hobby' where 'swimming' is the subject.

What is an example of a gerund used as an object of a verb?

In the sentence 'I like swimming,' 'swimming' is the gerund acting as the object of the verb 'like.'

How are gerunds used after prepositions?

Gerunds follow prepositions in sentences, like 'I am interested in swimming,' where 'swimming' follows the preposition 'in.'

Can you explain how gerunds function as subject complements?

Gerunds function as subject complements to provide more information about the subject, as seen in 'My hobby is swimming,' where 'swimming' completes the meaning of 'hobby.'

What are some common verbs that are followed by gerunds?

Common verbs that are followed by gerunds include 'like,' 'enjoy,' 'avoid,' and 'consider.' For example, 'I enjoy swimming' or 'He avoids running.'

What happens when a verb in a sentence functions as both the main verb and a complement?

When a verb functions as both the main verb and a complement, it needs to be changed into a gerund. For example, 'I enjoy reading' uses 'reading' as the gerund complement after 'enjoy.'

What role do gerunds play when clarifying the subject of a sentence?

Gerunds can help clarify an unclear subject. For example, in 'My hobby is swimming,' 'swimming' clarifies the subject 'hobby.'

Why is it important to change verbs into gerunds in certain sentence structures?

It is important to change verbs into gerunds to maintain grammatical correctness, especially when the verb needs to function as a noun in specific sentence structures like subjects, objects, or complements.