GERUNDS (-ING)
A gerund is a verb form used as a noun. It can function as the subject of a sentence or as an object. For example:
- Subject: Swimming in the pool is very exciting. (“Swim” becomes “swimming” as the subject.)
- Object: I like swimming. (Here, “swimming” is the object of the verb “like.”)
Here are some common verbs and expressions that are followed by gerunds:
- Love
- Enjoy
- Fancy
- Hate
- Can’t stand
- Mind
- Consider
- Feel like
- Avoid
- Give up
- Dislike
- Finish
- Keep
- Suggest
- Miss
- Imagine
Some prepositions (on, at, in) are followed by gerunds:
- She is good at swimming.
- On hearing the news on TV, she got sad.
- He is bad at playing chess.
Additionally, the following expressions are followed by gerunds:
- Bad at
- Good at
- Fantastic at
- Happy at
- Terrible at
- Glad
- Anxious
- Sad
- Worried about
- Scared
- Afraid
- Terrified of
- Interested in
- Keen on
- Proud of
With some verbs and prepositions, gerunds are used with specific combinations:
- Approve of: I don’t approve of you staying up late.
- Insist on: He insists on finishing the project today.
- Believe in: She believes in helping others.
- Apologize for: They apologized for arriving late.
- Consist of: The team consists of talented individuals.
- Succeed in: She succeeded in passing the difficult exam.