Introduction
A gerund and a present participle both look the same because they are formed by adding ”-ing” to a verb. This can be confusing, but they have different functions in a sentence.
A present participle acts like a verb or an adjective.
How can we tell the difference? Let’s compare them.
| GERUND | PRESENT PARTICIPLE | |
|---|---|---|
|
verb + ing
|
verb + ing
|
|
| In sentence: | ||
|
noun
|
verb or adjective
|
|
| Usage: | ||
|
+ as a subject of a sentence Running is good for your health.
Learning new languages takes time. |
+ in continuous verb tenses They are watching a movie right now
She was running when it started to rain |
|
|
+ as a subject complement His favorite hobby is painting.
The hardest part of my job is writing reports. |
+ as an adjective It was an exciting football match.
The baby’s crying woke me up. |
|
|
+ as the object of a verb She enjoys dancing at parties.
I started reading a new book. |
+ in a participial phrase (that gives extra information) Walking home, she saw an old friend.
He left the meeting, feeling frustrated. |
|
|
+ as the object of a preposition They left without saying goodbye.
I’m interested in learning photography. |
+ after there + to be There was loud laughing in the room.
There is no talking during the test. |
|
|
+ as the object of a phrasal verb We look forward to meeting you soon.
She gave up smoking last year. |
+ after the complement of verbs like “catch” or “find” I found him sleeping on the couch.
She caught the kids drawing on the wall. |
|
|
+ as part of a compound noun I need new swimming goggles.
His fishing rod is broken. |
+ After time or money expressions connected with the verbs “waste” and “spend”. He spent two hours fixing his bike.
She wasted all morning watching TV. |
|
Important Note!
Because both gerunds and present participles end in ”-ing,” many people call them “the -ing form.” However, their function in a sentence is what makes them different.
To tell the difference:
