Swimming is fun.
- Language
- English
- Level
- B1
- Unit
- Gerunds and Infinitives
- Practice types
- 0
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').
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