The Gerund and the Present Participle: 'ING' Form

INTRODUCTION

The '-ing' form of the verb may be a present participle or a gerund.

The form is identical, the difference is in the function, or the job the word does in the sentence.

The present participle:

This is most commonly used:

·         as part of the continuous form of a verb,
he is painting; she has been waiting

·         after verbs of movement/position in the pattern:
verb + present participle,
She sat looking at the sea

·         after verbs of perception in the pattern:
verb + object + present participle,
We saw him swimming

·         as an adjective, e.g. amazing, worrying, exciting, boring

The gerund:

This always has the same function as a noun (although it looks like a verb), so it can be used:

·         as the subject of the sentence:
Eating people is wrong.

·         after prepositions:
Can you sneeze without opening your mouth?
She is good at painting

·         after certain verbs,
e.g. like, hate, admit, imagine

·         in compound nouns,
e.g. a driving lesson, a swimming pool, bird-watching, train-spotting