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Parts of a Sentence: Gerund Phrases
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A phrase is a group of words that forms a unit simpler than a sentence. Unlike a sentence, or clause, a phrase does not contain both a subject and a finite (conjugated) verb. When building sentences, we use many types of phrases. This article focuses on gerund phrases.
What is a gerund?
A gerund is a type of verbal. (A verbal is a verb form that looks like a verb but does not act as the verb in a sentence.) A gerund ends in -ing and acts as a noun:
Swimming is good exercise.
[subject of verb is]
Aini likes fishing.
[object of verb likes]
You will gain skill by practising.
[object of preposition by]
What is a gerund phrase?
A gerund phrase is a gerund with attached words. For example, a gerund may take an object:
Swimming laps is good exercise.
[gerund swimming + object laps]
A gerund can also have modifiers such as adverbs or prepositional phrases:
Aini likes fishing from the dock.
[gerund fishing + prepositional phrase from the dock]
You will gain skill by practising the kazoo daily.
[gerund practising + object the kazoo + adverb daily]
A gerund with one or more objects or modifiers forms a gerund phrase.
Although gerund phrases do not contain a verb, they may have their own subjects (the person or thing doing the action in the gerund). The subject of a gerund is in the possessive form:
Sam appreciated my helping him.
Abdul was surprised at Tina's buying a Venus flytrap.
Can a gerund change its form?
Yes, we can use a gerund in a past form to show an action completed before another action:
Natalie was proud of having won the tournament.
[She won first; then she was proud]
Also, a gerund can be in a passive form:
Being introduced to Wayne Gretzky was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Irena was upset at having been passed over for the job.
