The Adverbial Modifier
6.1. of time (the gerund is used after the prepositions of time such as ‘after, before, since, on, in, etc.’):
Kids can suddenly get very tired after playing for a time.
Paul Jansen died after being involved in a motorcycle accident.
Then after lunch, in questioning a man named Trautman, Clyde Basler said, “Do you know this George Connors?”
The use of the gerund after the preposition ‘on’ sounds formal: the gerund after ‘on’ expresses an event which is followed immediately by another event expressed by a finite verb or the two events happen at the same time:
On being made aware of complaints, he informed the committee.
They exchanged a firm handshake on parting.
On opening the box, she was surprised to find a new watch.
6.2. of manner (the gerund is used after the prepositions ‘without’, ‘by’, ‘as’):
Liz closed the door without making a sound.
Remove red wine from a carpet by covering the stain immediately with salt.
Madeira is described as having the best climate in the world.
The preposition ‘by’ used before the gerund in this function means the
methods and means used to carry out an action expressed by a finite verb:
By using the Internet you can do your shopping from home.
The preposition ‘without’ before the gerund in this function means the
avoidance, absence, or omission of carrying out an action:
How would you get in and out without being seen?
6.3. of condition (the gerund is used after the preposition ‘without’ which has the meaning ‘unless’, in case of):
Without seeing the pictures, I can’t judge how good they are.
6.4. of concession (the gerund is used after the prepositions ‘in spite of’, ‘despite’, ‘without’ which has the meaning ‘although’):
In spite of feeling tired, we decided to go out.
Despite working hard, I failed my exams.
Without wishing to sound ungrateful, I should like to point out that you only did what you were paid to do.
of result (the gerund is used after the prepositions ‘in’, ‘through’, ‘by’ which
indicate that as a result of doing one thing, you also do something else):
In trying to solve one problem, I created another.
I’ve been injured a number of times myself, through playing soccer as a goalkeeper (usually not intentionally).
By moving into a smaller house, she managed to save money.
The prepositions ‘by’ and ‘in’ before the gerund in this function have the
same meaning:
In/by standing on the table, John was able to look out of the window.
By/in leaving work early, she was able to avoid the heavy traffic.
The preposition ‘in’ can be used to express an event which necessarily leads to another:
Shops change their layout so often. So you don’t keep going to the same product, you have to look round and in looking you might find something different.
Above all, Iris Murdoch kept the traditional novel alive, and in so doing changed what it is capable of…
Pappy and Gran thought that our leaving was just a temporary departure. To my mother it was a milestone. The day was a turning point not only in her life but especially in mine. She had convinced me at an early age that I would not be a farmer, and in leaving we were cutting ties.
?6.6. of preference or comparison (the gerund is used after the preposition ‘than’):
I happen to think this new desire among women to have careers, rather than regarding marriage as their vocation, could be a little destructive.
What could be more wonderful and more natural than getting married?
What kind of parents were they to have allowed something like that to happen to him, something he viewed with more horror than being homesick, being bullied, being afraid?
6.7. of attending circumstances (the gerund is used after the prepositions ‘instead of’, ‘besides’):
Can’t we deal with this now instead of waiting until tomorrow?
Besides being a fellow player, he’s my friend.
6.8. of cause, reason (for, because of, for fear of, owing to)