GRAMMAR

     THE GERUND

    The gerund is a non-finite form of the verb which names a process or an action. It is formed by adding the suffix –ing to the stem of the verb and thus coincides in form with Participle I. Like other non-finite forms of the verb the gerund has a double nature, i.e. it has verbal and nominal properties, it combines the features of the verb and of the noun. 

    The nominal character of the gerund manifests itself in 1) its syntactical functions and 2) partly in its combinability. 1. In the sentence the gerund can function in the same way as the noun, so it may be:

• the subject: e.g. Living together as man and wife seemed the most natural thing. 
• a predicative: e.g. That is letting them into secret.
• an object: e.g. Imagine him having only just realised the cinema.

2. a) Like a noun the gerund may combine with a preposition when used in the following functions: 

• an attribute: e.g. The idea of going to him scared me. 
• an adverbial modifier: e.g. And you went without telling me anything.
• a prepositional object: e.g. Were you thinking of turning her out? 

    b) Like a noun the gerund can combine with a noun in the genetive case or a possessive

 pronoun when they denote the doer of the action expressed by the gerund:

e.g. John’s seeing him like that was enough revenge for him. He had a sudden vision of her standing in the kitchen. 

 

    The verbal character of the gerund manifests itself in 1) its syntactical and 2) morphological features.

 1. The Syntactical Features of the Gerund 

    a) like a finite verb the gerund may be modified by an adverbial modifier: 

        e.g. There can be no object in your staying in Paris now. 

    b) like a finite verb the gerund of a transitive verb can take a direct object: 

        e.g. Don did a period of reform school for pinching cigarettes.

2. The Morphological Categories of the Gerund (the Forms of the Gerund) The morphological categories of the gerund that manifest its verbal nature are 1) the category of voice for transitive verbs and 2) the category of tense. Thus there are four forms of the gerund for transitive verbs and two forms for intransitive verbs.

    1. The category of voice of the gerund has the same meaning as in the corresponding finite verb forms. It shows the direction of the action from the subject or to the subject. Compare: 32 

e.g. I avoid seeing him. – I avoid being seen by him.

    2. The category of tense. The tense distinctions of the gerund are not absolute, but relative. In English two tense forms of the gerund are differentiated: the Indefinite Gerund and the Perfect Gerund.