What Is a Gerund? How to Form a Gerund With Examples

In English grammar, a gerund (*jer-ənd*) is a verb with an “-ing” ending that functions as a noun in a sentence. A gerund can be the subject of the sentence (e.g., “Running is his favorite activity.”), the direct object (e.g., “He enjoys running”), the indirect object (e.g., “He made running a priority.”), or the object of a preposition (e.g., “Besides running, he likes camping.”). You can also use adverbs or adverbial phrases to modify gerunds. Gerunds are often confused with present participle phrases because both of these parts of speech take an -ing form. However, gerunds always function as verbal nouns or noun phrases (e.g., “He likes running”), whereas present participles function as a verb phrase (e.g., “He is running”). In the English language, the gerund form of a verb can function in multiple different parts of a sentence: 1. __Subject gerunds__: Gerunds often serve as the subject of a sentence: For example, “Reading books entertains her,” or “Brushing your cats keeps them happy and healthy.” 2. __Direct object gerunds__: Gerunds can also function as a direct object of the verb: For example, “They love playing games,” or “He has a hard time paying attention.” 3. __Indirect object gerunds__: Gerunds can serve as the indirect object of a sentence: For example, “They make jogging a priority,” or “She never gave studying much thought.” 4. __Subject complement gerund__: Gerunds can be complements of subjects of sentences, joined by a linking verb like *to be*: For example, “What she cares about most is dancing.” 5. __Object of preposition gerunds__: Less commonly, gerunds can be the object of a prepositional phrase like the modifiers *besides* or *between*, often before a [comma](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/comma-rules-explained): For example, “Besides cooking, he spends time painting and relaxing.” Forming a gerund is straightforward: 1. __Select a verb__. To create a gerund, first select an infinitive-form action verb to use, like “to jump” or “to sing.” 2. __Give it an -ing ending__. Next, take the verb and give it an -ing ending to create the gerund form of the verb, like “jumping” or “singing.” 3. __Treat it as a noun in a sentence__. Once you have a verb with an -ing verb ending, use it in a sentence in place of a noun to form a gerund: For example, “Jumping rope is my favorite form of exercise.” The following sentences feature examples of gerunds or gerund phrases: 1. __Subject, specific__: “Watching movies is one of her favorite hobbies.” 2. __Direct object__: “He spends a lot of time practicing.” 3. __Indirect object__: “She gave running a lot of thought.” 4. __Subject complemen__t: “The thing he hates more than anything is waking up early.” 5. __Object of the preposition__: “Between cooking and cleaning, he doesn’t have much time to relax.” Become a better writer with the [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com). Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Malcolm Gladwell, Neil Gaiman, Walter Mosley, Margaret Atwood, Joyce Carol Oates, Dan Brown, and more. While all gerunds end in “-ing,” not every word ends in “-ing” is a gerund. Understanding the different types of gerunds can help you avoid making grammatical mistakes.