Sir Faisal Amin

2.        A simple gerund is the ing form of a verb, e.g. jumping, meeting, dancing.
            Jogging is good for health.
            It was nice meeting you.
            Note:
            a) An ing-form can be gerund or an active participle, depending            on how we use it in a
            sentence.
            Gerund: Jogging is good for you.
            Participle: We watched the students jogging round the campus.
            But in some contexts it may be difficult to say whether an ing-form is a gerund or
            participle, and it is not always important to know the difference. Remember that using
            the gerund form correctly is more important than naming it.

3.        We use perfect gerund for something before the time of the main clause.
            Sarah remembered having visited the place before. (The visit was before the memory)
            But we don’t need to use perfect if it is clear form the context that the time was earlier.
            Sarah remembered visiting the place before.

4.        In negative, not comes before the gerund.
            It’s difficult not smoking for the whole day.
            I can’t help not being amused by these silly jokes.
Gerund clauses:
1.        A gerund clause can just be a gerund on its own, or there can be an object or adverbial
            after it.
            No one likes washing the car.
            Going on holiday always makes me feel uneasy.

            Note: An adverb can come sometimes before the gerund rather than after it.
            We didn’t want to risk completely spoiling the evening.
2.        A subject can come before the gerund.
            We rely on our neighbors watering the plants while we are away.
            I dislike people asking me personal questions.
 •         The subject can be possessive, especially when it is a personal pronoun or a name.
            It is a bit inconvenient you/your coming late.
            Do you mind me/my sitting here?
            I’m fed up with Sarah/Sarah’s laughing at my accent.
            The possessive is more formal, and it is less usual in everyday speech.
  •        But we are more likely to use a possessive at the beginning of a sentence.
            Your coming in late is a bit of inconvenient.
            Sarah’s laughing at my accent is getting on my nerves.
Some patterns with the gerunds
1.        Gerund clause as subject
            Digging is hard work.
            But choosing the colour won’t be easy.
            Keeping a copy of your letter is a good idea.
            I think walking in the country is a lovely way to spend a day.

2.        Patterns with it, there and have
a)        Here are some patterns with it and a gerund.
            It is no good arguing. I’ve made up my mind.
            It might be worth taking the guided tour.
            It wouldn’t be much use trying to stick the pieces together again.
            It is nuisance (=sb/sth that annoys or causes trouble for you) being without electricity.
            It is a great fun skiing.
            Note:
            a) After use, experience, nuisance and fun we can also use a to-infinitive.
            b) There are also these patterns with worth.
            It might be worth it to take the guided tour.
            The guided tour might be worth taking.

b)        We can use there with problem/difficulty and a gerund.
            There won’t be any problem parking.
 c)        There is also a pattern with have (=experience) and a gerund.
            You won’t have any problem parking.
            We had great fun skiing.
3)        Gerund clause as complement after be
            Sarah’s hobby is inventing computer games.
            What I suffer from is not being able to sleep.
4)        Verb + gerund
 a)       We can use a gerund after some verbs.
            Someone suggested going for a walk.
            Do you mind waiting a moment?
            I can’t help feeling depressed sometimes.
            Imagine never having been abroad.
            For a list of verbs taking the gerund
            admit, advise, allow, anticipate, appreciate, avoid, can’t help, confess, consider,
          delay, deny, detest, dislike, enjoy, escape, excuse, fancy(=want), finish, give up,
          imagine, involve, justify, keep (on), leave off, mention, mind, miss, permit,
 `       postpone, practise, put off, quit, recommend, resent, resist, resume, risk, save,
          stand, suggest, tolerate.
Note: a)      Afford (=have enough money/time) and stand (=tolerate) go after can/could
                    or be able to.
          Do you think we’ll be able to afford to go to India?
          I can’t stand sitting around doing nothing.

          b)      We can use agree with a to-infinitive but NOT accept.
          She agreed to pay half the cost.
          c)       We use be dying(=want very much) only in the continuous.
          I’m dying to have a swim.
          d)      Care and mind are normally in a negative sentence or a question.
          Would you care to come along with us?
          Do you mind carrying this bag for me?
          e)      After help we can leave out to.
          We all helped (to) put up the tent.
          f) When advise, recommend, allow or permit has another object, it takes a to-
          infinitive.
          I advised taking a taxi.
          I advised the girls to take a taxi.

 b)       Sometimes, we can use a finite clause.
            Someone suggested (that) we might go out for a walk.
            But with some verbs this is not possible.
            NOT I’ve finished that I tidy my room.
5)        Verbs + object + gerund
            I hate people laughing at me.
            The arrangements involve you/your giving every one a lift.
            How can they justify lives being put at risks?
            We can use an object + gerund after these verbs.
            avoid, can’t help, dislike, dread, enjoy, excuse, (not) forget, hate, imagine, involve,
            justify, like, love, mean, mention, mind, miss, prefer, prevent, remember, resent,
            resist (angry about being forced to accept sb/sth), resist, risk, save, stop, tolerance,
            understand.
Note: For an object + infinitive after some verbs of wanting and liking.
            I hate people to laugh at me.
6)        Preposition + gerund
 a)       A gerund often comes after a verb + preposition, an adjective + preposition or a noun +
            preposition. We don’t use a to-infinitive in these patterns.
            We believe in giving people the freedom to choose.
            My husband is not very good at cooking.
            It is just a matter of filling in a form.
b)        We can also use a gerund after than, as and like expressing comparison.
            A holiday is nicer than sitting at a desk.
            She insist on reading the letter.
            Let’s go on with addressing the envelopes.
•          We can use a gerund after these prepositional verbs:
            admit to, (dis)agree with, aim at, apologize for, (dis)approve of, believe in, benefit from,
            care for, confess to, count on, depend on, feel like, get on with, insist on, object to,
            pay for, put up with, rely on, resort to (to do sth that you don’t want to do because you
            can’t find any other way), , succeed in, succeed in, think of, vote for.
 •         We can also use verbs with about e.g. talk about, think about, worry about.
            People were complaining about having to walk so far.
 •         With most of the verbs in this pattern, the gerund can have a subject.
            She insists on everyone reading the letter.
7.        A gerund can also follow a verb + object + preposition
            I would like to congratulate you on breaking the world record.
            The article accuses the government of concealing important information.
•          We can use:
            accuse … of, blame …for, charge … with, congratulate … on, deter … from ( to prevent sb
            from doing sth), discourage …from, excuse … for, excuse … from, forgive … for,
            prevent … from, punish … for, remind … of, stop … from, strike …as, thank … for,
            use … for.
            Note: We can also use verbs with about, e.g. tell, inform, warn
            I warned you about leaving your money around.
8.        A gerund can also follow an adjective + preposition
          I am nervous of saying the wrong thing.
            What’s wrong with borrowing a little money?
            We can use:
            afraid of, amazed at, angry about/at, annoyed about/at, anxious about, ashamed of,
            aware of, bad at, bored with, capable of, content (pleased with your situation and not
            hoping for change) with, dependent on, different from/to, excited about/at, famous for,
            fed up with, fond of, good at, grateful for, guilty of, happy about/with, interested in,
            keen on, nervous of, pleased about/with, ready for, responsible for, satisfied with,
            sorry for/about, successful in, surprised at, use to, worried about, wrong with.