Task 3. Focus on Grammar

Gerund

The Gerund has exactly the same form as the present participle:

running; speaking; etc.

The perfect Gerund - having run; having spoken

The passive Gerund - being written; having been written

It can be used:

1. as subject of a sentence

Developing a new method has taken much time.

Разработка нового метода потребовала много времени.

2) after prepositions:

He is thinking of going abroad this year.

Он думает о том, чтобы поехать за границу в этом году.

She is fond of skating. Она любит кататься на коньках.

3) after certain verbs: admit, anticipate, appreciate, avoid, consider, delay, deny, dislike, enjoy, escape, excuse, fancy, finish, forgive, imagine, keep (continue), mind (object), miss, postpone, prevent, remember (recollect), resist, stop, suggest, understand.

Forgive my interrupting you. I can’t prevent his (him) going there.

Извините, что я прерываю вас. Я не могу помешать ему идти туда.

He disliked working late. Do you mind my (me) taking this book?

Он не любит работать допоздна. Вы не возражаете, если я возьму эту

книгу?

4) The perfect gerund is used when we are referring to a past action:

He denied having been there. Он отрицал, что был там.

5) A number of verbs and prepositions can be followed by posessive adjective/pronoun / noun object + gerund

I insist on his writinga letter immediately. I heard about yourbrother’s going

Я настаиваю на том, чтобы он немедлен- abroad. Я слышал, что ваш брат

но написал письмо. едет за границу.

In less formal English we may not use the possessive case with the gerund:

Forgive me ringingyou up so early. I don’t remembermy brother waking up

Извини, что звоню тебе так рано. so early. Я не помню, чтобы мой брат

так рано вставал.

Gerund переводится на русский язык существительным, деепричастием, инфинитивом или целым предложением.

Exercise 1. Use the correct form of the Gerund.

1. I don’t fancy (to go) out this evening. 2. Are you going to give up (to smoke)? 3. He denied (to be) there before. 4. I can’t imagine Pat (to ride) a bike. 5. She kept on (to interrupt) me while I was speaking. 6. I don’t enjoy (to write) letters. 7. I never thought of (to invite) to their party. 8. He denied ever (to see) those people before. 9. By (to pass) Acts, Parliament can even alter the Constitution. 10. Why do you keep on (to look) at me in this way? 11. Could you please stop (to make) so much noise? 12. When everybody sat down, Harris began (to sing). 13. The boy was afraid of (to leave) alone. 14. I insist on (to listen to) attentively.

Exercise 2. Translate the following dialogues and use the patterns

in the dialogues of your own.

A.

Pat - Do you mind my sitting in your favourite chair?

Liz - Not at all.

Pat - It’s so comfortable that I can never resist the temptation of sitting

in it. Those modern things are terribly uncomfortable.

Liz - But they look very nice.

Pat - Oh, yes. I always enjoy looking at them, but I try to avoid sitting

in them.

Liz - I know, many people object to their being rather hard.

B

Paul - Do you think Henry will come to the party tonight?

Bill - I doubt it. He isn’t very sociable. He doesn’t like meeting strangers

and he hates dancing. He prefers reading. In fact, he prefers books

to people.

Paul - But his wife loves dancing and simply adores meeting people.

Bill - That’s true. That’s why Henry doesn’t like her going out alone.

Exercise 3. Use Gerund or Infinitive in the following sentences.

1. I don’t mind (to play) cards with you. 2. I would love (to come) to see you tomorrow. 3. I like (to play) tennis. 4. I’d like (to play) tennis today. 5. I very much enjoy (to listen) to folk songs. 6. Please, remember (to post) this letter. 7. Someone must have taken my bag. I clearly remember (to leave) it on the table. 8. Tom helped his mother (to get) the dinner ready. 9. You are free (to go) anywhere you like. 10. I don’t mind (to wait). It’s better (to be) too early than too late. 11. Before (to deal) with the changes in the smelting procedure, it will be proper (to consider) the way of application of powdered coal as a fuel. 12. The history of culture tells us about the ancients (to make) some chance discoveries. 13. Phosphorous and sulphur are elements (to eliminate) from the molten metal. 14. I did not know of his (to complete) the experiment successfully.

Exercise 4. Translate into Russian, paying attention to gerunds.

1. He didn’t enjoy living in London. 2. They are thinking about taking part in this conference. 3. Checking detail is not one of my strong points. 4. I’m afraid she is not used to working so hard. 5. He doesn’t regret leaving his well-paid job. 6. She stopped playing the piano, stood up and went out of the room. 7. He had always been interested in playing with engines and motors. 8. I like working with my hands. 9. Translating foreign languages is difficult. 10. They prefer living in the country to living in the town. 11. This coat is rather dirty. It needs cleaning. 12. She left without saying good-bye to anybody. 13. She is not looking forward to doing the exam. 14. We went to a restaurant instead of eating out. 15. Various methods and machines can be used for producing this material. 16. On heating to a higher temperature the carbon diffuses into the still solid iron, thereby increasing its carbon content.

Exercise 5. In Text 2 find the gerunds and explain their use.