Do you know what a gerund is? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on gerunds, including the definition, usage, example sentences, and more!
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According to Collins English Dictionary, a gerund is a noun that is formed from the ing form of a verb. Gerund is two syllables – ger-und, and the pronunciation of gerund is ˈdʒɛrənd. In grammar, a gerund phrase is a group of words consisting of a gerund and the modifier. Gerunds function as a subject, direct object, subject complement, and object of preposition. As opposed to the infinitive form of the verb, the gerund ends in ing and acts as an English noun and the direct object of the verb in English grammar.
Many different languages also contain words that mean gerund. You may notice that some of these translations of gerund look and sound similar to one another. These are called cognates, which are words and phrases in different languages that likely have the same root or language of origin, causing them to sound the same. The below list of translations of gerund is provided by Word Sense.
Norman: nom vèrbal (masc.)
Greek: γερούνδιο (neut.)
Czech: gerundium (neut.)
Danish: gerundium (neut.)
Cebuano: punglihongan
Korean: 동명사
Swedish: gerundium (neut.)
Finnish: gerundi
Mandarin: 動名詞, 动名词 (dòng-míngcí)
Japanese: 動名詞 (どうめいし, dōmeishi)
French: gérondif (masc.)
Spanish: gerundio (masc.)
Arabic: صِيغَة فِعْل, مَصْدَر (masc.)
Turkish: ulaç
Thai: อาการนาม
Dutch: gerundium (neut.)
Hindi: क्रियावाचक संज्ञा (kriyavachak sangya)
German: Gerundium (neut.), Vertretungswort
Galician: xerundio (masc.)
Norwegian: gerundium (neut.)
Russian: геру́ндий (masc.)
Portuguese: gerúndio (masc.)
Catalan: gerundi (masc.)
Italian: gerundio (masc.)
Ido: gerundio
Novial: gerunde
Tagalog: pandiwang makangalan, pangngalang-diwa
What are examples of gerunds?
A gerund can be used in many different contexts in the English language. Trying to use a word or literary technique in a sentence is one of the best ways to memorize what it is, but you can also try making flashcards or quizzes that test your knowledge. Try using this term of the day in a sentence today! Below are a couple of examples of gerunds that can help get you started incorporating this tool into your everyday use. Try to use the term gerund today or notice when someone else is using a gerund.
Hate > hating – He had a hating for her favorite hobbies.
Mention > mentioning – The mentioning of the variant sent her into a spiral.
Refuse > refusing – His refusing to change his characteristics was frustrating.
Urge > urging – Her urging to use the cream was annoying.
Dislike > disliking – His disliking of vegetables was in a similar way to his father.
Lie > lying – His lying to his ex-wife split them up.
Hire > hiring – The hiring process to work on the case forms was long and tedious.
Invite > inviting – His inviting his ex-girlfriend to the party was a point of contention; no one felt she was a real prize.
Sleep > sleeping – The sick young child enjoyed sleeping all day. It made him feel much better.
Write > writing – My favorite hobby is writing poetry. I like to go to the park and get inspired.
What is the etymology of the word gerund?
According to Etymonline, the word gerund comes from the Latin gerund, Late Latin gerundium, Latin gerundum, gerundive of gerere, Latin endum and Latin undum.
What are other literary techniques and devices?
There are many different literary and grammatical techniques and devices that you might see when you are reading prose or poetry. It is important to recognize these terms because they are always used for some purpose. Knowing these devices can help readers understand the author’s deeper meaning and why they are using such a device. Take a look at the below list of grammatical devices from OED and see how many you know! Then try researching ones that are unfamiliar to you.
Overall, the word gerund is a term in English grammar that refers to the usage of a verb in its ing form as a noun. Many common verbs can be used as a gerund. A gerund can be used after certain expressions, as an object of a preposition, as a subject complement, as a direct object of a sentence, or as the subject of a sentence.
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.
Kevin
January 1, 2022
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