Review & Lesson LESSON 32: GERUND PHRASES Phrases are groups of word, without both a subject and a verb, functioning as single parts of speech. o Prepositional phrases act as s 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 s. They have subjects. Guess what? Gerunds can be modified by adverbs, they can have complements (direct objects, predicate nouns, and predicate s), and they can even have "subjects"! Gerunds really are a mix between nouns and verbs! GET SMART (INSTRUCTOR) LESSON 32 www.english-grammar-revolution.com 1
Gerund Phrase Gerund Complements or Modifiers The Gerund Phrase Acts As (Which Noun Job?) She loves reading novels quickly. reading Novels is the direct object of reading. Quickly is an adverb modifying reading. Direct Object Swimming in the ocean is fun. Swimming In the ocean is an adverbial prepositional phrase modifying swimming. Subject Finding a needle in a haystack is difficult. Finding Needle is the direct object of finding, and a is modifying needle. Subject In a haystack is an adverbial prepositional phrase modifying finding. I enjoy running marathons. running Marathons is the direct object of running. Direct Object She loves Mary's cooking. cooking Mary's is the "subject" of 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. 2 GET SMART (INSTRUCTOR) LESSON 32 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" GET SMART (INSTRUCTOR) LESSON 32 www.english-grammar-revolution.com 3
Here is an example of a gerund phrase acting as a subject. This gerund phrase has a direct object with an and a prepositional phrase. Wow! Finding a needle in a haystack is difficult. 4 GET SMART (INSTRUCTOR) LESSON 32 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 Running with scissors with scissors is idea sentence - statement subject (gerund phrase) (noun) gerund prepositional phrase modifying gerund preposition object of the preposition (noun) verb (intransitive linking) predicate noun a, bad s GET SMART (INSTRUCTOR) LESSON 32 www.english-grammar-revolution.com 5
2. Oh no! I hate washing the dishes. Key Oh no! I had washing the dishes. Oh no I hate washing the dishes washing dishes the sentence - statement interjection subject (pronoun) verb (transitive active) direct object (gerund phrase) (noun) gerund direct object of gerund (noun) 6 GET SMART (INSTRUCTOR) LESSON 32 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 winning five races in a row winning races five in a row in row a sentence - statement subject (pronoun) verb (transitive active) direct object (noun) prepositional phrase () (modifying record and answering What kind?) * You could also have this phrase acting as an adverb modifying set. As an adverb, it would tell us how the record was set. preposition object of the preposition (gerund phrase) (noun) gerund direct object of gerund (noun) prepositional phrase (adverb) preposition object of the preposition (noun) GET SMART (INSTRUCTOR) LESSON 32 www.english-grammar-revolution.com 7
4. Swimming in the ocean is fun. Key Swimming in the ocean is fun. Swimming in the ocean Swimming in the ocean in ocean the is fun sentence - statement subject (gerund phrase) (noun) gerund prepositional phrase (adverb) preposition object of the preposition (noun) verb (intransitive linking) predicate 8 GET SMART (INSTRUCTOR) LESSON 32 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 sentence - statement subject (pronoun) verb (transitive active) direct object (gerund phrase) (noun) gerund predicate noun (of gerund) (noun) Extra Practice: Diagramming Gerunds & Gerund Phrases Directions: Diagram the following sentences on a separate sheet of paper. Teachers, the answers are on the next page. 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. GET SMART (INSTRUCTOR) LESSON 32 www.english-grammar-revolution.com 9
Lesson 32 Extra Practice Answers Diagramming Gerunds & Gerund Phrases 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. 10 GET SMART (INSTRUCTOR) LESSON 32 www.english-grammar-revolution.com
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