Gerunds
Learn Gerunds in English and start using -ing forms correctly in sentences today.
A gerund is a verb form that ends in -ing and works like a noun. It can be the subject of a sentence, the object of a verb, or the object of a preposition. Gerunds help you talk about actions as things or activities.
You usually form a gerund by adding -ing to the base verb. Some verbs change spelling before -ing. These spelling patterns are common and help you write gerunds correctly.
| Verb | Form |
|---|---|
| read |  reading |
| make |  making |
| run |  running |
| swim |  swimming |
| lie |  lying |
A gerund can be the subject of a sentence. In this use, the action is the thing you talk about. The gerund acts like a noun at the start of the sentence.
A gerund can be the object of some verbs. It can also be the object of a preposition. In both uses, the gerund names an activity.
| Rule |
|---|
| Use a gerund after some verbs such as enjoy, finish, and avoid 😊. |
| Use a gerund after prepositions such as in, on, and without 📍. |
| A gerund after a verb or preposition still works like a noun 🧩. |
Some common verbs are followed by gerunds in basic patterns. After these verbs, the next action is often written as a gerund. Learning these verbs helps you choose the correct form.
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| enjoy | This verb is followed by a gerund to name an activity 😊. |
| finish | This verb is followed by a gerund to show an activity ends ✅. |
| avoid | This verb is followed by a gerund to name an activity not done 🚫. |
| practice | This verb is followed by a gerund to name repeated activity 🔁. |
| consider | This verb is followed by a gerund to name an activity someone thinks about 🤔. |
A gerund is used after a preposition when the next word names an activity. This pattern is very common in everyday English. The gerund keeps its noun function after the preposition.
| Word or Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| after | This preposition can be followed by a gerund to show one activity comes later ⏭️. |
| before | This preposition can be followed by a gerund to show one activity comes earlier ⏮️. |
| without | This preposition can be followed by a gerund to show an activity does not happen 🚫. |
| by | This preposition can be followed by a gerund to show method or means 🛠️. |
| in | This preposition can be followed by a gerund in some fixed expressions 📚. |
Some basic patterns use a gerund, and some use an infinitive. A gerund often follows certain verbs and prepositions. An infinitive often follows other verbs, so you must learn which pattern each verb uses.
| Rule |
|---|
| Use a gerund after prepositions, not an infinitive 📍. |
| Use a gerund after verbs like enjoy and avoid 😊. |
| Some other verbs use an infinitive, so the pattern depends on the verb 🔀. |
You can now recognize gerunds as verb forms ending in -ing that work like nouns. You can form gerunds, including common spelling changes, and identify them as subjects, objects, and objects of prepositions. You can also see basic patterns with verbs, prepositions, and infinitives.