In brief
- Gerund: a form ending in -ing that functions as a noun (subject, complement, object of a preposition).
- Formation: base verb + -ing, with a few spelling rules (dropping the silent e, doubling the consonant).
- Golden rule: after a preposition, it is always the gerund, never the infinitive.
- Trap: the gerund and the present participle look the same, but play different roles in the sentence.
- Key verbs: enjoy, avoid, consider, suggest, mind, finish always require the gerund.
The English gerund, that form ending in -ing which looks like a verb but behaves like a noun, remains one of the most misunderstood concepts in English grammar. This guide details its formation, its spelling rules, its main uses, and how to distinguish it from the present participle, which shares exactly the same ending.
What is the gerund?
The gerund is a verb form ending in -ing that functions grammatically as a noun: it can be the subject of a sentence, the complement of the verb to be, or the object of a preposition. It is also called a “verbal noun.”
- Eating people is wrong. → Eating people is wrong. (subject)
- Smoking causes lung cancer. → Smoking causes lung cancer. (subject)
- One of his duties is attending meetings. → One of his duties is attending meetings. (complement of to be)
How to form the gerund
The basic rule is to add -ing to the base form of the verb (the infinitive without to). Three special cases modify the spelling.
| Case | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb ending in a silent “e” | The “e” is dropped before -ing | make → making, write → writing |
| Pronounced “e” | The “e” is kept | see → seeing, be → being |
| Short verb with a stressed consonant-vowel-consonant pattern | The final consonant is doubled | run → running, stop → stopping |
| Verb ending in -ie | -ie becomes -y before -ing | lie → lying, die → dying |
The gerund after a preposition
This is the most reliable rule: a verb that directly follows a preposition (at, in, on, about, before, after, without, by…) is always in the gerund form, never the infinitive.
- She is good at painting. → She is good at painting.
- Can you sneeze without opening your mouth? → Can you sneeze without opening your mouth?
- We arrived in Madrid after driving all night. → We arrived in Madrid after driving all night.
- There’s no point in waiting. → There’s no point in waiting.
Certain expressions ending in a preposition follow the same rule: in spite of missing the train, we arrived on time.
The gerund after phrasal verbs
A phrasal verb (verb + preposition or adverb) is followed by the gerund when a second verb follows.
- When will you give up smoking? → When will you give up smoking?
- She always puts off going to the dentist. → She always puts off going to the dentist.
- He kept on asking for money. → He kept on asking for money.
Certain expressions contain a to that functions as a preposition, not as the infinitive marker: look forward to, be used to, get around to, take to. To check, replace the following verb with the pronoun it: if the sentence still makes sense (I look forward to it), then to is indeed a preposition and requires the gerund.
- I look forward to hearing from you soon. → I look forward to hearing from you soon.
- I am used to waiting for buses. → I am used to waiting for buses.
The gerund after certain verbs
A list of verbs always requires the gerund for the following verb, with no intervening preposition: enjoy, avoid, consider, suggest, mind, finish, admit, deny, imagine, practice, recommend, risk, can’t help, can’t stand.
- He enjoys watching TV. → He enjoys watching TV.
- I can’t help thinking about it. → I can’t help thinking about it.
- She couldn’t help falling in love with him. → She couldn’t help falling in love with him.
- It’s no use trying to escape. → It’s no use trying to escape.
A possessive pronoun or a noun can precede the gerund to specify who is performing the action: I don’t mind your coming late.
The gerund in compound nouns
Some compound nouns use the -ing form with a purely nominal meaning, without any sense of an ongoing action: swimming pool, driving lesson, running shoes.
Gerund or present participle: the difference
The gerund and the present participle are written exactly the same way, ending in -ing, which explains frequent confusion. Their role in the sentence, however, is clearly different: the gerund functions as a noun, while the present participle is used to form progressive tenses or to describe a simultaneous action.
| Sentence | -ing form | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking is relaxing. | Cooking | Gerund (subject, verbal noun) |
| He is cooking dinner. | Cooking | Present participle (progressive tense) |
| While getting off the bus, I hurt my ankle. | Getting | Present participle (simultaneous action) |
The full details of the present participle, its formations, and its specific uses can be found in the guide on the present participle in English.
Gerund or infinitive: how to choose
The choice between the gerund and the infinitive depends primarily on the verb that precedes it, with no absolute general rule. Some verbs require the infinitive with to, especially those expressing a desire, intention, or goal: want, decide, plan, hope, wish. Others require the gerund: enjoy, avoid, finish, suggest. A small number of verbs accept both forms, sometimes with a change in meaning: remember to do (to remember to do something, before the action) differs from remember doing (to remember having done something, after the action). In the absence of a single rule, memorizing these verbs with a complete example remains the most reliable method.
Practice exercise
Check your understanding of the English gerund:
1. She is good at ___ (paint).
2. He enjoys ___ (watch) TV in the evening.
3. What is the correct spelling of the gerund of “run”?
4. In “He is cooking dinner”, the word “cooking” is:
5. I look forward to ___ (hear) from you soon.
6. What does “swimming pool” refer to?
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