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The gerund is one of the three types of verboids, that is, of words that derive from verbs but that often do not fulfill in the sentence the proper function of verbs (which is that of the core of the predicate), but rather that of an adverb, being integrated into circumstantial complements. For example: wanting, thinking.
The verboids are three:
- Infinitives. They can serve as a noun. For example: I really like to eat.
- Participles. They can fulfill the function of adjectives (in addition to forming compound verb tenses). For example: The closed blinds blocked the light.
- Gerunds. They can serve as adverbs. For example: We came running.
Gerunds are quite easy to identify from their morphology, since they all end in -ando or in -endo.
Examples of gerunds
| Building | Happening |
| Starting | Crossing |
| Coming out | Dying |
| Laughing | Tolerating |
| Congratulating | Singing |
| Checking | Working |
| Bringing | Failing |
| Playing | Reading |
| Lying | Suffering |
| Dancing | Congratulating |
More examples in: Gerund verbs
Syntactic function
Gerunds express the prolongation of an action in time and can function in two ways:
- Verbal phrase. For example: Juan is playing with his cubes. (is part of the core of the verbal predicate)
- Adverb associated with another verb. For example: Guille does his homework listening to the radio. (works as circumstantial)
Gerunds characteristics
The formation of the gerund can follow a regular pattern (with the simple addition of the aforementioned suffixes) or irregular, such as in verbs ending in -and go, in which the order of the vowels is reversed (such as ‘laugh’ / laughing), or those with an 'o', which is modified by 'u' (as 'power' / being able).
Although in verb phrases the Auxiliar verb that most commonly precedes the gerund is to be, also other verbs can form verb phrases with gerund. For example: Live talking bad about me or He was born weighing 3 kilos.
As can be seen, gerunds are invariable in gender and number, this differentiates them from conjugated verbs and also from the participle, which flexes in gender and number.
Incorrect uses of the gerund
The gerund cannot fulfill an adjective function by modifying a noun. So prayers like The box containing the documents disappeared that afternoon It's incorrect.
Another common and incorrect use of the gerund is that of posteriority. For example: He took the plane, arriving in Madrid the next day. This is an incorrect phrase, since the gerund can only denote simultaneity or priority.
- Continue with: Infinitives, participles and gerunds
