(GERUNDS)

The Gerund is used like a noun:

Smoking is bad for you.

1. As the subject of a sentence.

Swimming is very good for your back.

expressions.

2. After some verbs and

Do you like watching horror films?
I finished reading that book last week.

3. After prepositions.
She is very good at painting.
Were tired of waiting for him.

The Gerund is formed by adding -ing to the infinitive form:

go going

stay staying
smoke smoking
get getting

A) Write down the gerunds of these verbs.

1. do .........................
4. ride ............................... 7. run ......................
.
10. drive ......................

2. play ..................... 5. try .............................

8.
fly ........................
11. swim .......................

3. travel ....................
stop ......................

6. write ...........................
12. lie ........................

9.

B) Fill in the gaps with the gerunds from A.

1. She likes ............................. every morning before breakfast.

2. After .................................. my homework, I usually watch TV.

3. I enjoy .............................. on the beach.

4. My little daughter doesnt like ........................... with other children.

5. ............................... is a fast way of ................................. . You can go from

London to Paris in just one hour.

6. She likes sport, especially .............................. horses and ................................... .

7. After ............................... several times, I finally passed my exams.

8.

Lisa thought about ............................. all the way from London to Edinburgh.

9. ................................. at the shoulder in this motorway can be dangerous.

10. I think she is very bad at ............................... ; Im reading one of her short
stories and I dont like it at all.

1. Gerund as subject of a sentence

Gerunds can be subjects of sentences ( or objects ):
sick.
Living abroad can be very difficult.

Smoking makes me feel

C) Rewrite these sentences, starting with a gerund. You may need to change some
words.

1. A good way of keeping fit is to swim every day.

...............................
................................................................................................

2. It takes a long time to learn a foreign language.

.................................
..............................................................................................

3. Clean the machine more often; that will solve your problems.
...............................................................................................

...............

4. Grow your own food. Its less expensive.

.................................................
..............................................................................

5. Give up smoking; it will make you feel better.

.............................................
..................................................................................

6. It is cheaper to go by rail than by air.

.................................................
..............................................................................

7. You are not allowed to smoke in here.

.................................................
..............................................................................

8. Its not very pleasant to be in hospital.

................................................
...............................................................................

9. Its very difficult to windsurf properly.

.............................................
..................................................................................

10. Its more difficult to speak a foreign language than to read it. .............................
................................................................................

11. It is forbidden to walk on the grass.

.................................................
..............................................................................

12. One thing I cant do is swim on my back.

...............................................
................................................................................

13. Its difficult to be polite to someone you dont like. ...........................................

...................................................................................

2. Like , dislike and other verbs +

gerund
Some verbs can be followed by a verb or a noun. When they are followed by a
verb, it must be in the gerund form.

Some of these verbs followed by a gerund are:

prefer

start

love

begin

hate

enjoy

like

dislike

finish

give up

miss

cant stand
dont mind

Note: like, love, prefer, start are sometimes followed by the to-infinitive..
Note: other verbs ( e.g. decide, want, agree, plan, ... ) are followed by the to-infinitive.

D) Write these setences, changing the verbs into gerunds.

1. Do you like ( make ) cakes?

7.

I miss (

8.

I love

9.

I think

have ) a coffee with her after work.

2. I dislike ( get up ) at seven oclock every morning.

( sit ) here by the sea in the evenings.

3. I started ( work ) for this company eight years ago.

its time to stop ( play ) tennis.

4. Do you prefer ( travel ) by plane or by ship?

10. What

time did you finish ( do ) your homework last night?

5. I hate ( write ) thank you letters.

11. Why

dont you like ( go ) to discos?

6. I gave up ( drive ) after I had a bad accident.

Ill start ( pack ) my suitcase.

12. I think

3. Gerund after prepositions

When a verb follows a preposition, this verb must be in the gerund form: We
thought about leaving early.
Im interested in
working on social issues.

After closing the door, he locked it.

Check your passport before getting in the car.

Note: to can be a prepostion, or part of an infinitive:

Im looking forward to seeing them again.

I decided to leave early.

E) Complete these sentences, putting the verbs into the gerund and using one ot
the following prepositions.

about
at

of
without

in

to

after

by

for

on

1. We talked .............................................................. ( go ) to France for our

holiday.

2. I look forward ......................................................... ( see ) you again next year.

3. Shes tired ................................................................ ( work ) for that company.

4. Im very happy ................................ my parents ........................................ ( come

) home.

5. ................................................................. ( open ) the front door, I entered the

house very quietly.

6. We got into the house ............................................ ( climb ) through a window.

7. Im looking forward ......................................................... ( work ) with you.

8. Are you interested ................................................... ( join ) the commitee?

9. Im tired ..................................................... ( come ) to the same place every

week.

10. Hes very keen ......................................................... ( swim ) at the moment.

11. im not interested ..................................................... ( hear ) your excuses.

12. Shes very good .......................................................... ( speak ) German.

13. This is used ...................................................... ( cut ) metal.

14. The car drove off ...................................................... ( stop ).

15. Im worried ..................................... Lisa ..................................... ( get ) to the

airport on time.
F) Write the verbs in the box in the correct form in these sentences. Use each verb
once only.

have
see
move
out

learn
watch
study
get up

help
smoke
look after
become

say
write
eat
make

work

live

go

walk

go

1.

............................... is unhealthy, but a lot of people find it difficult to stop.

2.

Im fed up with ......................................... in the city; its too dirty and crowded.

3.

I enjoy .................................. in the garden at weekends.

4. I have decided to stop ...................................... in the evenings so that I can save

some money for my holidays.

5.

Hes an artitstic person; very good at ................................... poetry.

6.

That machine? Oh, its used for .................................... toasted sandwiches.

7. Shes going to continue ..................................... for another two years, until her
exams.

8.

Before ........................................ a teacher, he worked in advertising.

9. They dont like .......................... and go everywhere by car.

They hate ................................... early in the morning.

10. Theyre thinking of ................................... house.

Thank you for ............................ me with my homework.

11. Theyve given up ................................ meat.

Theyre very keen on ........................... how to play chess.

12. Im not really interested in .............................. to university.

We love ............................. parties at weekends.

13. ........................................ children can be very tiring.

She left without .............................. goodbye.

14. Were looking forward to ................................. you.

20. ......................... television seems to be our national sport.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.