Swimming is fun.
- Language
- English
- Level
- B1
- Unit
- Gerunds and Infinitives
- Practice types
- 4
What this grammar point covers
A gerund is the '-ing' form of a verb used as a noun in English.
When to use it
Use gerunds as the subject or object of a sentence, or after certain verbs and prepositions.
Key forms
- Verb + -ing (e.g., 'reading', 'swimming', 'playing')
Examples
I enjoy reading.
She is good at drawing.
We talked about going to the park.
Tips
- Do not confuse gerunds with present continuous tense. Gerunds act like nouns.
- Some verbs must be followed by a gerund, not the infinitive (e.g., 'enjoy reading', not 'enjoy to read').
Exceptions and edge cases
- Some verbs can be followed by both gerunds and infinitives, but the meaning may change (e.g., 'stop smoking' vs. 'stop to smoke').
Sample exercise
She likes blogging about new fashion trends.
Answer: blogging
'Like' is followed by a gerund (-ing form).
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