Gerund phrase definition: A gerund phrase is a group of words that begins with a gerund and includes any modifiers or objects.
What is a Gerund Phrase?
A gerund phrase is a group of words that will always begin with a gerund.
Aside from the gerund itself, the other words in the phrase will include any modifiers or objects of the gerund.
Gerund Phrase Examples
Since a gerund can act as a subject, it can also take objects. Let’s analyze a few examples.
- Running through the house
- Running is the gerund
- through the house is a prepositional phrase that modifies running
- Jumping up and down
- Jumping is the gerund
- up and down is a prepositional phrase that modifies jumping
- Taking turns
- Taking is the gerund
- turns is an object of the gerund
The Parts of a Gerund Phrase
A gerund phrase consists of a gerund and another word or other words. The other words in a gerund phrase may be modifiers, such as prepositional phrases, objects, etc.
First, a gerund phrase begins with a gerund—of course. A gerund is a type of noun (see more here).
More specifically, a gerund is an action word (verb) that is acting as a noun.
Examples of Gerunds:
- drawing
- painting
- talking
- walking
- baking
Gerunds, like those above, can take direct objects to make a gerund phrase.
Examples of gerund phrases with objects:
- drawing landscape
- painting a house
- baking cookies
Gerund phrases can also include modifiers:
- drawing landscape beautifully
- painting a house quickly
- talking on the phone
- walking down the street
- baking cookies skillfully
Gerunds vs. Present Participles
Gerund phrases look like present participles. This is because both of them end with “-ing.”
However, a gerund is a noun, and a present participle is the progressive form of a verb.
Examples to clarify:
Word: talking
- Gerund: Talking on the phone is my favorite pastime.
- “talking” is the subject doing the action; it is acting as a noun
- Present participle: We had been talking for hours.
- “talking” is a part of the verb phrase “had been talking”
Word: dancing
- Gerund: Dancing is my favorite sport.
- “dancing” is the subject doing the action; it is acting as a noun
- Present participle: They were dancing in the moonlight.
- “dancing” is a part of the verb phrase “were dancing”
Word: swimming
- Gerund: I love swimming.
- “swimming” is the object of the verb; it is acting as a noun
- Present participle: We will be swimming tomorrow afternoon.
- “swimming” is a part of the verb phrase “will be swimming”
Exercises with Gerund Phrase
Determine whether each of the following sentences contains a present participle or a gerund phrase.
- When will you be arriving tomorrow?
- Flying through the night exhausted me.
- I want to take diving lessons.
- We were remembering our younger years.
- My favorite activity in gym is climbing the rope.
See answers below.
Summary: What Are Gerund Phrases?
Define gerund phrase: the definition of gerund phrase is a gerund along with any modifying words.
To sum up, a gerund phrase,
- is a group of words that begins with a gerund
- acts as a noun
- can take modifiers or objects
Answers
- present participle
- gerund phrase
- gerund phrase
- present participle
- gerund phrase
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