LESSON 32: GERUND PHRASES
Review & Lesson
•
Phrases are groups of word, without both a subject and a verb, functioning as
single parts of speech.
o
•
Prepositional phrases act as adjectives or adverbs and verb phrases act
as verbs.
Gerunds are words that are formed from verbs and act as nouns. They end in
-ing.
If you mixed those two definitions together, you'd get a gerund phrase, and that is our
next topic!
A gerund phrase is made of a gerund and any word(s) that modify or
complement it. The whole phrase acts as one noun.
Examples: Swimming in the ocean is fun. She loves reading quickly.
Swimming in the ocean is a gerund phrase acting as the subject of the sentence. In the
ocean is an adverbial prepositional phrase modifying the gerund swimming.
Reading quickly is a gerund phrase acting as the direct object of the sentence. Quickly is
a one-word adverb modifying the gerund reading.
Both of those gerunds are being modified by adverbs!
Do you notice anything fishy? Gerunds are nouns, and in both of those examples, they
are being modified by adverbs!
Wait! Adverbs don't modify nouns. What's going on here?
Since gerunds are formed from verbs, they maintain some of their "verbness" even
though they act as nouns.
What do you know about verbs?
•
They are modified by adverbs.
•
They sometimes have direct objects, predicate nouns, or predicate adjectives.
•
They have subjects.
Guess what? Gerunds can be modified by adverbs, they can have complements (direct
objects, predicate nouns, and predicate adjectives), and they can even have "subjects"!
Gerunds really are a mix between nouns and verbs!
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Gerund Phrase
She loves reading
novels quickly.
Gerund
reading
Complements
or Modifiers
Novels is the direct object of
reading.
The Gerund
Phrase Acts As
(Which Noun
Job?)
Direct Object
Quickly is an adverb modifying
reading.
Swimming in the
ocean is fun.
Swimming
Finding a needle in a
haystack is difficult.
Finding
I enjoy running
marathons.
running
In the ocean is an adverbial
prepositional phrase modifying
swimming
Needle is the direct object of
finding, and a is modifying
needle.
Subject
Subject
In a haystack is an adverbial
prepositional phrase modifying
finding.
Marathons is the direct object
of running.
Direct Object
Mary's is the "subject" of
cooking.*
She loves Mary's
cooking.
cooking
When gerunds have "subjects,"
they are in the possessive form.
Notice that it's Mary's and not
Mary.
Direct Object
Diagramming Gerund Phrases
Diagram the gerund as you normally would. Use the examples on the following page to
see how to diagram the gerund’s complements (direct object…) and modifiers
(adverbs…).
The good news is that you already know how to diagram all of these things! Just pretend
that the gerund is a normal verb (on a step), and diagram everything as you normally
would.
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© www.English-Grammar-Revolution.com In all of these examples, the gerund phrase is acting as the subject, but remember that
gerund phrases can perform any of the noun jobs (direct object, object of the
preposition...).
Diagramming Gerund Phrases
Gerund + Adverb
Gerund + Direct Object
Gerund + Predicate Noun/
Predicate Adjective
Gerund + Prepositional Phrase
Gerund + "Subject"
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Here is an example of a gerund phrase acting as a subject.
This gerund phrase has a direct object with an adjective and a prepositional phrase.
Wow!
Finding a needle in a haystack is difficult.
4
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© www.English-Grammar-Revolution.com Lesson 32 Sentence Diagramming Exercises
1. Running with scissors is a bad idea.
Key
Running with scissors is a bad idea.
Running with scissors
subject (gerund phrase) (noun)
Running
prepositional phrase modifying gerund
preposition
object of the preposition (noun)
verb (intransitive linking)
predicate noun
a, bad
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2. Oh no! I hate washing the dishes.
Key
Oh no! I had washing the dishes.
Oh no
I
verb (transitive active)
direct object (gerund phrase) (noun)
gerund
direct object of gerund (noun)
adjective
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© www.English-Grammar-Revolution.com 3. I set a record for winning five races in a row.
Key
I set a record for winning five
races in a row.
I
set
record
a
for winning five races in a row
for
object of the preposition (gerund phrase)
(noun)
winning
races
five
in a row
in
row
a
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4. Swimming in the ocean is fun.
Key
Swimming in the ocean is fun.
subject (gerund phrase) (noun)
gerund
prepositional phrase (adverb)
preposition
object of the preposition (noun)
the
verb (intransitive linking)
fun
8
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© www.English-Grammar-Revolution.com 5. I love being your teacher.
Key
I love being your teacher.
I
love
being your teacher
being
teacher
your
Extra Practice: Diagramming Gerunds & Gerund Phrases
Directions: Diagram the following sentences on a separate sheet of paper.
1. Eating broccoli is good for you.
2. My teachers and my parents hate whining.
3. I need my license for driving the car.
4. I love singing and dancing.
5. My job is timing the races.
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