Exercises

Ex.1. COMMENT on the Gerund: DEFINE its form and grammatical meaning.

1. He remembered crossing the street, but he could not recall being hit by the bus. 2. I shook my head without replying. 3. Marion was pleased with being chosen for that job. 4. I’m still hungry in spite of having eaten two sandwiches. 5. Without knocking, the hurrying child opened the door. 6. After writing the report he remembered that he had forgotten to mention some facts. 7. The thought of soon seeing her again was a genuine pleasure. 8. By nagging him all the time you will do nothing but irritate him. 9. His mind was still running on my being offended by Barkley. 10. He preferred to keep silent for fear of saying something inappropriate. 11. Is the movie worth seeing again? 12. Jack and Molly avoided being seen together in public places. 13. On entering the hotel lobby, he received applause from a crowd of moviegoers. 14. They entered the house by climbing through a window, obviously without being noticed by anyone. 15. There are two classes of people to whom life seems one long holiday, the very rich, and the very poor; one because they need do nothing, the other because they have nothing to do; but there are none who understand the art of doing nothing and living upon nothing, better than the poor classes of Spain (W. Irving).

Ex.2. USE the correct form of the Gerund.

1. They’re trespassing on our property without (invite). 2. Thank you for (answer) these questions. 3. I felt the fool for (not foresee) it. 4. The next morning at breakfast she felt like (apologise). “I couldn't get home last evening,” she said. 5. Michael would never be able to forgive Sarah for (draw) his daughter into this whirlpool of events. 6. “There’s no (keep) you, young people, in check nowadays”, she said regretfully. 7. He will need (introduce) when everyone arrives. 8. His lawyer had once boasted of (never lose) a case. 9. For a moment he hoped the fire would die quickly without (see) by anyone other than the three of them. 10. My daughter used to fear (examine) by a doctor. 11. After (feed) the baby went to sleep at once. 12. I feel tired of (ask) so many questions about the same thing. 13. When the home chores were accomplished, I was free to roam Main Street and its alleys without (supervise). 14. She didn’t like (look at) when she bathed. 15. She has always had a way of (treat) people politely and insists on (treat) politely. 16. She sat for some time without (move).

Ex.3. OPEN the brackets using the Gerund.

Model: His hair is very long; it needs cutting.

1. The left shoe has a hole; it requires (mend). 2. The palace requires (redecorate) after the huge fire. 3. Famous people do not need (introduce) themselves. 4. The flowers in your garden are nearly dry; they want (water) badly. 5. The writer deserves (praise) for outstanding wit and masterly techniques in (show) the characters’ psychological state, and her story is worth (publish) in the best magazines. 6. The house is old, and it badly wants (paint). 7. You’d better do the room before everyone comes. – Yes, it looks it needs (tidy). 8. Her baby’s crying – he probably needs (feed). 9. I know my hair wants (cut) but I never have time to go to the hairdresser’s. 10. The windows and vases are very dusty-looking; they might need (clean) before the flat is to let. 11. The floor is covered with dust; it needs (sweep). 12. Does he deserve (scold) for such a trifle as a broken cup? 13. My jeans look quite clean; they don’t want (wash) yet. 14. The flowers want (water), and the shelves require (dust). 15. This fact was not worth (mention) in your speech.

Ex.4. TRANSLATE the sentences into English paying attention to the forms of the gerund.

1. Все женщины любят, когда им дарят цветы. 2. Она обожала смотреть старые фильмы и вспоминала, как они ходили в маленький кинотеатр. 3. Она начала искать его имя в старом пожелтевшем справочнике. 4. Просмотрев утренние газеты и выпив традиционный кофе, Майкл отправился в банк. 5. Это был теплый, семейный ужин, после которого тетушка Фелисия предложила поиграть в покер. Игра в карты была любимым развлечением в этом доме. 6. Долли внимательно слушала отца, не прерывая его, не пытаясь возражать. 7. Я ненавижу, когда меня обманывают. 8. Проработав в компании более двадцати лет, он прекрасно ориентировался во всех производственных проблемах. 9. Наш старенький телевизор нуждался в ремонте, и Билли твердил, что его стоит лишь выбросить, а не тратить деньги впустую. 10. Ты обвиняешь меня в предательстве, а сам обманываешь всех и всегда.

Module 6. The functions of the Gerund in the sentence

Principal Ideas:

1. In the sentence GER is used mostly as a nominal element in the functions of Subj., Predicative, Part of C. V. Pred., Attr., Obj., and Adv. Mod.: Pedro’s constant practicing improved his playing (Subj. and Obj.); Victor’s great talent is cooking; I don’t feel like talking about my problems now (Predicative); She kept complaining to Jane (Part of CVP); Chameleon is famous for its art of assuming the colour of its environment (Attr.); She smiled again, without looking at him (AM of manner).

2. GER may be used in a sentence as a single form or in a gerundial phrase, i.e. with dependent elements, which is considered an indivisible whole used as one sentence element. A phrase with GER is always placed after the element that is modified by it.

GER may be considered to make a predicative construction in combination with a N in the Common or Possessive Case, Possessive Pron. or Personal Pron. in the Objective Case as the nominal element of the complex:

It’s strange George(’s) behaving like that;

It’s strange him/his behaving like that;

(= It was strange that George/he behaved like that).

3. GER may be incorporated to a Noun-Gerund composites, such as wind-surfing, skate-boarding, figure-skating, stamp-collecting, mushroom-hunting, bird-watching, etc. which name activities, sports and hobbies.