11. Gerunds and Gerund Phrases. English Grammar Lesson

[lockoutpmp]

In my class we had a test on 'phrases' he used these examples he said to only pay attention to the part in CAPS.

Example 1:

WITH THREE SODAS IN HER HAND, Tanya walked out of the convenience store.

Example 2:

BEFORE APPEARING ON STAGE, Elvis downed a quart of Pepsi.

What kind of phrases are these?

[mrthoth]

@lockoutpmp "With three sodas in her hand" is a prepositional phrase with another prepositional phrase, "in her hand," inside it. "Before appearing on stage" is a prepositional phrase with a gerund phrase, "appearing on stage" inside it, and the gerund phrase has a prepositional phrase, "on stage," inside it. There are also nominal phrases ("three sodas in her hand," "her hand," and "appearing on stage"--all gerund phrases are nominal phrases by definition).

[RegisSaku]

@mrthoth; I hope you can help me. In the sentence: The kids were peevish after being for so long in the car; I understand that the clause (after being for so long in the car) is a subordinate clause. Is it correct? If it is so, what is the function for the gerund Being? Thanks!!

[mrthoth]

@RegisSaku "After being for so long in the car" is not a clause in traditional grammar. A clause always contains a subject-verb combination, but there is none here. Instead, "after being for so long in the car" is a prepositional phrase functioning advebially. "Being" is a noun, not a verb. It is a gerund, and it functions as the object of the preposition "after". Gerunds are by definition nouns; they can never be verbs.

[RegisSaku]

@mrthoth Thanks a lot for your explanation! So that adverbial phrase modifies the verb "Be"? Excuse me if I keep on asking but I need to be able to work with sentences like that and understand every constituent's function. By the way, Could you suggest any particular book? We've been only reading some chapters from Roderick Jacobs' English Syntax at class. Regards, RegisSaku

[moksshhh]

is gerund one of the 8 parts of speech?

[mrthoth]

@moksshhh No. Gerunds are always nouns (noun is a part of speech). So gerunds are a subset of nouns. The parts of speech are verb, noun, adjective, adverb, preposition, pronoun, conjunction, and interjection.

[BrianWhistle]

to infinitive and gerund!

[adreanmarie]

@BrianWhistle haha! :))

[smallatom2]

this vid just saved my life, i have an english final tomorrow and english is my 2nd language so i always get lost during grammar lessons since it takes me a lil bit longer to catch up :( next up PARTICIPLES!

[ChristinaRoseeee]

Get a new camera.

Please and thank you.

[mrvideo7]

So does the Gerund always have a direct object in front of it?

[mingosutu]

Seeing your videos is very useful. What is useful? Seeing your videos.

[skategirl212]

Thanks! this really helped me.

[Pjam2006]

im confused with whether or not to add "ing" after the word "to" for example in sentences like the following;

1) A key to improving your writing is to read more english books.

2) Reading more english books to improve (or to improving) your writing is the key to success.

When do I use to+ing in a sentence?

Thanks.

[mrthoth]

@Pjam2006 1) "A key to improving" is what you want. The "ing" words that come after "to" are gerunds, which are nouns. So ask yourself if a noun belongs after the "to." Does "A key to [NOUN]" make sense? Yes. A key to the door. A key to success. A key to a thing, etc. So you want an "-ing" word. But does "A key to improving is to [NOUN]" make sense? No. "A key to improving is to a thing." That makes no sense at all. So no "-ing" word.

[Pjam2006]

@mrthoth thank you so much! really helpful!

[82Kingus]

Thank you very much! I find this video very helpful! :-)

[batsel123]

Did not help me at all no affence. But i need to know abot S(subject) Pn(predicate nominative) OOP (An object of a preposition) Do (direct objest)

[mrthoth]

@batsel123 This video doesn't cover any of the things you want to know about. However, you can learn about subjects in my video on verbs, you can learn about objects of a preposition in my video on prepositions, you can learn about direct objects in my video on direct objects, and you can learn about the predicate nominative in my video on subjective complements. Good luck!

[TheFeard]

so confusing

[Zinzy77]

@TheFeard Breathing and walking = nouns

therefore gerund

bothering, verb. laughing, adjective.

therefore participles.

[babygirl11190]

okay what would this be? a verb,a participle or a gerund. The moving van was late. ? can you help me,its my homework and i dont know how to do it..

[Firefox1095]

@babygirl11190 moving van is a gerund phrase, moving is a gerund, and was is obviously a verb

[zillyzachary]

i like to think of gerunds as a idea or thought

[ericf161]

THANKS!!!!!

this helped me alot!!!

i have a grammar test tomorrow and i totally didnt get this concept UNTIL NOW!!!!

you da best thoth!!

[sarebear248]

thank you so much! I really used this to study for my big grammar test. my teacher at a prestigious private school was not able to explain this as clearly as you. :)

[TheLarssan]

Thanks. :)

[Brogel]

Nicely explained. Covers all the basics in a clear and coherent manner!

[nikehops]

thank you!

[Mo0o0Mo0o0o]

^__^ thank you so much

[hippykiller1]

That makes so much more sense. Thanks!

[stephenmccain]

How is Quickly an adverb modifying Walking when Walking is acting as a noun (Gerund)?

[Brogel]

@ stephenmccain 'Walking' acts like a noun because it is the subject of the sentence. Being a subject is something only a noun can do, so 'walking' FUNCTIONS AS a NOUN. But as the man said, it IS a form of the VERB, and verbs can be modified by adverbs. It is actually more of a verb than it is a noun: e.g. it can't have an article, it can't be pluralised, it has adverbs and it can have a direct object. On the other hand, it can have possessive and other pronouns, be subject/object,... A hybrid!

[utuser101]

Hi mrthoth,

Im having some trouble with the verb "need". I thought that when this verb is followed by another verb, that verb is always the "to infinitive" e.g. I need TO GO home now. But then I came across "Your car needs washing" which at first seemed fine. Perhaps it should be "Your car needs a wash" because Your friend needs drinking clearly isnt grammatical. What are your thoughts please?

.

[mrthoth]

Hello! There is nothing special about the verb "need" (compare "I like to go dancing" and "I like dancing"--the thing you have noticed happens often with lots of verbs). The rule about verbs being followed by verbs really doesn't work. And infinitives aren't verbs, and neither are gerunds. Gerunds, infinitives, and participles are called "verbals." My video on what a verb is, along with my videos on gerunds, infinitives, and participles might help straighten this out. Good luck!

[slogheinn]

@utuser101

It is very simple. After words like NEED, REQUIRE and WANT, the gerund is used in a passive sense:

Ex: your car needs washing or your car needs to be washed.

Hope this help

[aiisha007]

Thanks for the video, It really helped! I've exam on this Tuesday for Gerund and Abstract Noun Phrases, Gerunds are better with me, but Abstract Noun Phrases :( Didn't understand them at all! Have you made any video for them... or can you recommend any?

[matterover1]

All your videos are very short and sweet. also the pacing you use is excellent.

Have one question on the above sentence.

Quickly walking your dog helps your breathing.

Here 'quickly' is an adverb, but can it modify a 'noun'. Adverbs do not modify nouns, but can they modify gerunds . is it because gerunds are a special verbal noun..?

[mrthoth]

An excellent question! Most of us are taught that adverbs can modify adjectives, verbs, and other adverbs. But a more complete definition would include verbals (infinitives, participles, and gerunds) in the list of things adverbs can modify, since adverbs can modify gerunds ("quickly walking" here), participles ("the slowly rolling stone"--although "rolling" here is an adjective, too, so it fits the standard definition), and infinitives ("to go boldly").

[GreenCures]

I added you to my playlist...I'm a tutor, but I needed a quick cheat-sheet.

That's where you come in....hehehe

[cristianokobe]

Hey man thanks for posting your videos they help but i was just wondering in the sentence.... The laughing man is bothering me. Would bothering me be the gerund phrase?

[mrthoth]

Some "-ing" words are adjectives ("the laughing man"), some are nouns ("skiing is fun"), and some are verbs ("He is bothering me"). "Bothering" in the sentence you ask about is a verb. When the "-ing" word is an adjective or a verb it's a participle, and when it's a noun it's a gerund.

[milesyb123]

thanks for ur vids... i got a test tomorow and i dont really understand phrases.

[naslghiwanenglish]

Thank you so much for these valuable videos . Your explanation is very amusing ; I really enjoy it . In that sentence : Quickly walking your dog helps your breathing , the complete subject is 'Quickly walking your dog , but what would be the simple subject ? only walking , or the whole gerund phrase . please answer . Thank you

[mrthoth]

Just "walking." Gerund phrases are a subset of nominal phrases (noun phrases). Noun phrases have "heads," the nouns around which the phrases are built. If a complete subject is a nominal phrase, its head is the simple subject. Gerunds are the heads of gerund phrases, and so if a complete subject is a gerund phrase, the gerund is the simple subject. Thanks for your question!

[jaybird321]

Thank you very much for posting these.

[Sparkless777]

You have no idea how much you helped me

[texassummer76]

Thanks for your easy way of learning grammar...I have forgotten the rules of grammar being out of school so long (adult learner now at a University)...glad I ran across your videos.

[rockdtben]

Same here. This guy is amazing.

[desoki99]

Thank you soooooooooooooo much

[delsur2009]

but in which cases you can use a GERUND? thanks

[Du30ke]

subject, direct object,indirect object,object of a preposition,and

appostive...does tht answer your question?

[utubxplorer]

Gerund is my favourite topic. Thanks for the explanation.

[kakosuranosx]

Hi,

Thank you ever so much for helping me with your lessons. I don't know what i'd done without theses classes. Gerunds and Past Participles were always confused to me. Now everything is much more clear to me. Thank you for everything you have been doing through your lessons. And by the way, sorry if my English Language is not so good, ok? ha!

Hugs.

[jarduli]

can i say "listening a singing (man) helps your improveing" ?

[pattylove19]

this a good lesson for me

[fletchpwnsnoobs]

ty dude u helped me on a test tyvm

[mrthoth]

yvw, my man

[trutta567]

Many thanks for your videos most instructive. I have a problem, in that with quickly being an adverb it should only modify a verb an adjective or another adverb. In your example it is modifying a noun.

Please explain

[mrthoth]

Thank you for your comment. You raise a good point. Adverbs can modify the following kinds of words: verbs, adverbs, adjectives, and verbals. The verbals are infinitives, gerunds, and participles. The fact that adverbs can modify verbals does not make it into many definitions of the adverb, but it is true. And it means that when an adverb modifies a gerund, it is modifying a noun.

[trutta567]

Thank you for a speedy and helpful reply. You are a treasure

[thunderjenkins]

lol "Walking helps your love life" ^^

Thanks for the vids, they really help

[thunderjenkins]

oops, I meant money, not walking :o

[mmaille]

i am quite confused. in your video you say that in the sentence "walking helps your breathing" breathing is a gerund. are you sure its not a noun. i thought walking was the gerund.your breathing, my breathing etc: surely a noun

[mrthoth]

Thanks for your comment. All gerunds are nouns. "Breathing", like "walking", is both a gerund and a noun. Asking whether a word is a gerund or a noun is like asking if a vehicle is either a Toyota or a car. A vehicle can be both a Toyota and a car, and a word can be both a gerund and a noun (in fact all gerunds are nouns).

[jchriswest]

This is very helpful. I sit with anger thinking about what 16 years of education did not teach me.

[batfly]

Bravo! Providing my children the opportunity to watch your lessons gives them a fighting chance to master the English language. Public schools unfortunately do not supply the equivalent form of instruction.

[felcuaz]

Great

[jpak123]

I think your videos are excellent!

I've been learning alot from your videos. Keep it up!

[susyramone]

Gosh!!! Try to be clearer, man!!! You confuse the students by going round and round like this! lol!!!