Gerund

GERUNDS: INTRODUCTION
(a)    Playing tennis is fun. (b)   We enjoy playing tennis. (c)    Her’s excited about playing tennis.	A gerund is the –ing form of a verb used as a noun .* A gerund is used in he same ways as a noun, i.e., as a subject or as an object. In (a):  Playing is a gerund. It is used as the subject of the sentence. Playing tennis is a gerund phrse. In (b): Playing is a geund used as the object of the verb enjoy. In (c): Playing is a gerund used as the object of the preposition about.

USING GERUNDS AS THE OBJECTS OF PREPOSITIONS
(a)    We talked about  going to Canada for our vacation. (b)   Sue is in charge of organizing the meeting. (c)    I’m interested in learning more about your work.	A gerund is frequently used as the abject of a peposition.
(d)   I’m used to sleeping with the wndow open. (e)    I’m accustomed to sleeping* with the window open. (f)    I look forward to going home next month. (g)    They object to changing their plans at thislate date.	In (d) theough (g):to is a preposition, not part of an infinitive form, so a gerund follows.
(h)   We talked about not going to the meeting, but finally decided we should go.	Ngative form: not precedes a gerund.

COMMON VERBS FOLLOWED BY GERUNDS
(a)    I enjoy playing tennis	Gerunds are used as the obects of certain verbs. In (a), enjy is followed by a gerund (playing). Enjoy is not followed by an infinitive. INCORRECT: I enjoy to play tennis. Common verbs that are followed by gerunds are given in the list bellow.
(b)   Joe quit smoking (c)    Joe gave up smoking	(b) and (c) have the samemeaning. Some phrasal verb,* e,g., give up, are followed by gerunds. These phrasal verbs are given in parentheses in the list bellow.

VERB + GERUND

Enjoy                           Quit (give up)                         Avoid

Appreciate                   Finish (get through)                  Postone (put off)

Mind                            Stop**                                    Delay

GO + GERUND
(a)    Did you go shopping ? (b)   We went fishing yesterday.	Go is followed by a gerund in certain indiomatic epressions to express, for the most part, recreativities.

GO + GERUND

            Go birdwatching          go fishing*                   go sailing         go skinnydipping

Go boating                   go hiking                      go shopping     go sledding

            Go bowhing                 go hunning                   go sightseeing  go snorkeling

            Go camping                 go jogging                    go skaring        go swimming

            Go canoeing/kayaking             go mountain climbing  go skateboard  go tobogganing

            G dancing                    go running                   go skiing          go window shopping   

Source : Source : Azzar,B.T(2002).Understanding and using english grammar.Third edition with answer key. USA:Longman