Can a gerund be an object of a preposition?
Just like nouns and noun phrases, gerunds and gerund phrases can be used as objects in sentences/clauses. They can be used as both direct objects as well as objects of prepositions: Gerund as a direct object: Helena has mastered fencing. Gerund as an object of a preposition: He quickly resorted to begging.
What is a gerund functioning as an object of a preposition?
Gerunds are used as the objects of prepositions to describe an action that modifies another action, thus creating adverbial prepositional phrases. These can occur at the beginning, middle, or end of the sentence. For example: “After sneezing, I always get the hiccups.”
Do gerund phrases include prepositions?
They have a variety of roles in a sentence and can be acted upon in varying ways: Sometimes the gerund phrase is the subject; sometimes it is the object or indirect object; other times it is the object of a preposition; and finally, it can also be the predicate nominative.
What are objects of prepositions?
Object of the Preposition Definition. The object of a preposition is the noun or pronoun that follows the preposition in a sentence.
How are gerunds used after prepositions?
As a general rule, gerunds are always after prepositions. She had snacks after finishing her homework. The tourists are excited about visiting the Trevi Fountain.
What is gerunds and gerund phrases?
Points to remember: A gerund is a verbal ending in -ing that is used as a noun. A gerund phrase consists of a gerund plus modifier(s), object(s), and/or complement(s). Gerunds and gerund phrases virtually never require punctuation.
What is gerund phrase phrase?
A gerund phrase is a phrase consisting of a gerund and any modifiers or objects associated with it. A gerund is a noun made from a verb root plus ing (a present participle). A whole gerund phrase functions in a sentence just like a noun, and can act as a subject, an object, or a predicate nominative.
What makes a gerund phrase?
A gerund phrase is a group of words consisting of a gerund and the modifier(s) and/or (pro)noun(s) or noun phrase(s) that function as the direct object(s), indirect object(s), or complement(s) of the action or state expressed in the gerund, such as: The gerund phrase functions as the subject of the sentence.
When to use gerunds?
In the English language, gerunds are words that have an –ing ending and look like verbs, but actually function as nouns. They are quite common, especially in spoken English. Use gerunds when the word is the subject of a sentence, or if the verb comes after a preposition.
What is gerund Phrase examples?
A gerund phrase is simply a noun phrase that starts with a gerund. Examples include: Taking my dog for a walk is fun. Walking in the rain can be difficult. Strolling along a beach at sunset is romantic. Getting a promotion is exciting.
What is the meaning of dangling gerunds?
A dangling gerund phrase is a gerund phrase that is misplaced within a sentence and, thus, not preceding the word that the phrase intends to describe. 1. What is an example of a dangling participle?