Download - The GERUND Andcompoundnoun
-
7/27/2019 The GERUND Andcompoundnoun
1/7
THE GERUND
THE GERUND
This looks exactly the same as a presentparticiple, and for this reason it is now common to
call both forms 'the -ing form'. However it isuseful to understand the difference between thetwo. The gerund always has the same function as
a noun (although it looks like a verb), so it can beused:
a.as the subject of the sentence:
Eating people is wrong. Hunting tigers is dangerous. Flying makes me nervous.
b.as the complement of the verb 'to be':
One of his duties is attending meetings. The hardest thing aboutlearning English is
understanding the gerund. One of life's pleasures is having breakfast in
bed.
c. after prepositions.The gerund mustbeused when a verb comes after a preposition:
Can you sneeze withoutopening your mouth? She is good atpainting. They're keen on windsurfing.
-
7/27/2019 The GERUND Andcompoundnoun
2/7
She avoided him bywalking on the oppositeside of the road.
We arrived in Madrid afterdriving all night. My father decided againstpostponing his trip to
Hungary.
This is also true of certain expressions ending in apreposition, e.g. in spite of, there's no point in..:
There's no point in waiting. In spite ofmissing the train, we arrived on time.
d. after a number of'phrasal verbs'which arecomposed of a verb + preposition/adverb
Example:to look forward to, to give up, to be for/against, totake to, to put off, to keep on:
I look forward to hearing from you soon. (at theend of a letter)
When are you going to give upsmoking? She always puts offgoing to the dentist. He kept on asking for money.
NOTE: There are some phrasal verbs and other
expressions that include the word 'to'as apreposition, notas part of a to-infinitive: - to look
forward to, to take to, to be accustomed to, to beused to. It is important to recognise that 'to'is a
-
7/27/2019 The GERUND Andcompoundnoun
3/7
preposition in these cases, as it must be followedby a gerund:
We are looking forwardtoseeing you. I am usedto waiting for buses. She didn't really take to studying English.
-
7/27/2019 The GERUND Andcompoundnoun
4/7
COMPOUND NOUNS
COMPOUND NOUNS
Formation
Words can be combined to form compoundnouns. These are very common, and newcombinations are invented almost daily. They
normally have two parts. The second
partidentifies the object or person in question(man, friend, tank, table, room). The first
parttells us what kind of object or person it is, orwhat its purpose is (police, boy, water, dining,bed):
What type / what
purpose
What or who
police man
boy friend
water tank
dining table
bed room
-
7/27/2019 The GERUND Andcompoundnoun
5/7
The two parts may be written in a number ofways :
1. as one word.Example:policeman, boyfriend
2. as two words joined with a hyphen.Example: dining-table
3. as two separate words.Example: fish tank.
There are no clear rules about this - so write thecommon compounds that you know well as oneword, and the others as two words.
-
7/27/2019 The GERUND Andcompoundnoun
6/7
LIST OF SPECIAL NOUNS PLURAL IN FORM
BUT SINGULAR IN MEANING
aerobics
athletics
billiards
binoculars
blues (type of music)
civics
crossroadsdarts
dominoes
economics
eyeglasses
gymnastics
headquarters
mathematics
measles
mumps
news
pants
Philippines
politics
scissorsseries
shingles
shorts
tongs
trousers
tweezers
Example sentences:
1.Billiardsis a game which connectsmathematicsand football .
2.What is thenews?
3.Acousticsisthe study of sounds.
-
7/27/2019 The GERUND Andcompoundnoun
7/7
Activity: From the list pick out the irregular noun that will make eachsentence meaningful:
1. The __________ spreads fast.2. The __________ is a powerful country.3.__________ is fun to play.4.__________ helps make us physically fit.5.__________ is common among the aging people.
billiards news arthritis
United States aerobics mumps