- •The gerund: key (2007-2008 piloting)
- •Gerund as subject
- •Gerund as predicate
- •(Suggested ideas)
- •Gerund as predicative
- •The gerund as part of a compound verbal aspect predicate
- •The gerund as attribute
- •The gerund as the adveribial modifier
- •The gerund as the object
- •Revision of gerund and infinitive
- •He stopped eating fried food as it gave him indigestion. – correct
- •Suggested answers
The gerund: key (2007-2008 piloting)
TASK 1. Define if the statements given below are true or false.
Like the infinitive the gerund can serve as an adverbial modifier. (T)
In the sentence ‘Travelling is always exciting for a child.’ the gerund demonstrates its verbal features as it is the subject of the sentence. (F – nominal)
In the sentence ‘Jim’s girl-friend stopped answering his letters and he was very much upset.’ the gerund is non-perfect passive. (F - active);
Gerund can be modified by an adverb. (T)
Gerund has the category of mood. (F - it has no category of mood)
Gerund can be used as the subject of the sentence. (T)
In the sentence ‘Excuse me for having given you so much trouble.’ the gerund is perfect continuous active. (F - there is no continuous form of gerund)
Gerund can be preceded by a preposition. (T)
Gerundial phrases include a noun or a pronoun, a gerund and some other elements depending on it. (T)
In the sentence ‘Do you remember this fact having been mentioned?’ the gerund is perfect passive. (T)
1 – T; 2 – F (nominal); 3 – F (active); 4 – T; 5 – F; 6 – T; 7 – F (there is no continuous form of gerund); 8 – T; 9 – T; 10 – T
TASK 2. Define the form of the gerund translate the sentences into your mother tongue.
Choose the forms from:
a) Non-perfect active (NPA) b) Non-perfect passive (NPP)
c) Perfect active (PA) d) Perfect passive (PP)
Your idea is worth considering. NPA
Do you remember having mentioned the fact to anyone? PA
After having been signed by the executive director, the documents were sent to the suppliers. PP
The old man never mentioned having spoken to the headmaster about the boy’s behaviour. PA
Before drinking this water requires filtering. NPA
After having been thoroughly examined by the doctor, the old lady was taken to hospital. PP
Steve managed to sneak to his bedroom without being seen. NPP
Dick never forgave his wife for having deceived him with his best friend. PA
Nobody likes being laughed at. NPP
Thank you so much for putting up with all my idiosyncrasies. NPA
Fred will always regret having uttered those offensive words. - PA
I remember the weather being extremely fine that summer. NPA
Your suggestion is worth talking over. NPA
Fancy us having to walk a mile in a wind like this. NPA
All depends on the doctor being sent for in time. NPP
The teacher was displeased with the boys being noisy. NPA
Happiness consists largely in having true friends. NPA
Gerund as subject
TASK 3. Change the sentences below so that to use the gerund in the function of the subject. Follow the example.
Example. Sheila works 10 hours a day in a hospital. It isn’t much fun. - Sheila works in a hospital. Everybody understands that working in a hospital 10 hours a day is not fun.
(Suggested answers)
She is a nurse in a large city hospital. This is a very good experience. = Working in a large city hospital means gaining good experience.
She helps doctors in the operating theatre. It's interesting. = Helping doctors in the operating theatre is interesting for Sheila.
She takes care of old people. It takes a lot of patience. = Taking care of old people takes a lot of patience. It means listening to their endless stories about the past and treating them like little children.
She tries to cheer up sick people. It's very important. = Cheering sick people up is very important for their recovery.
She looks after contagious patients. It's dangerous. = Looking after contagious people may be dangerous.
She works long hours without a break. It's very tiring. = Working in a hospital long hours without a break is very tiresome.
She does all these things. It is worthwhile. = Doing all these things for Sheila is worthwhile because her dream is to become a nurse.
TASK 4. Translate into English using gerund as the subject of the sentence.
№ |
Russian |
English |
1 |
Изучение иностранного языка не может быть легким делом. Бесполезно обращаться к «специалистам», которые обещают научить вас разговаривать на английском языке во сне или с помощью 25 кадра. Изучение иностранного языка - это огромный труд, который может стать приятным или ненавистным, в зависимости от того, как вы к нему относитесь. |
Learning a foreign language cannot be an easy thing (matter). It’s no use (It’s useless) turning to ‘specialists’ who promise to teach you to speak English in your sleep (while you are sleeping) or using the 25th shot. Learning a foreign language is an enormous effort (undertaking) which can become either pleasant or hateful depending on your attitude to (towards) it. |
2 |
Прием одной капсулы этого лекарства по утрам поможет вам сохранить бодрость и хорошее настроение на целый день. Курение во время данного лечения категорически запрещается. |
Taking one capsule of this medicine in the morning will help you to feel fresh and cheerful the whole day. Smoking is absolutely prohibited (forbidden, out of the question) during this course of treatment. |
3 |
Мой дядя Саймон всегда считал, что катание на лошади по утрам - самое лучшее средство сохранить хорошее здоровье на всю жизнь. Хотя ему сейчас больше 70 лет, он начинает каждый свой день с верховой езды. |
My Uncle Simon has always thought that riding in the morning is the best way to keep fit and healthy all your life. Though he is over 70 now, he begins his every day with riding.
|
4 |
Не имеет смысла делать что-то вполсилы. Если вы решили сделать что-то хорошее, делайте это от всего сердца. |
There is no sense (point) in doing anything with half a heart (half-heartedly). / It’s no use doing anything with half a heart (half-heartedly). If you have decided (made up your mind) to do something good, do it with all your heart (soul)/ (from the bottom of your heart). |
5 |
Спорить с нашим начальником – только напрасно терять время и силы. Он никогда никого не слушает, все решает сам, а потом начинает удивляться, почему его подчиненные не проявляют никакой инициативы. |
Arguing with our boss is wasting time and effort. He never listens to anyone, decides everything (makes decisions) himself and then starts wondering why his subordinates never show any initiative (never act on their own initiative). |
6 |
Слушать рассказы нашего дедушки одновременно интересно и поучительно. Он побывал во многих странах и встречался со многими интересными людьми. Кажется, нет такой сложной ситуации, из которой он не нашел бы выхода. У него многому можно научиться. |
Listening to our grandpa’s stories is both interesting and instructive. He has been to a lot of countries and has met a lot of interesting people. There seems to be no difficult situation he couldn’t find a way out of. One can learn a lot from him.
|
7 |
Переходить реку по льду в начале апреля настоящее безумие. Бесполезно меня уговаривать - я вас на тот берег не поведу. Я еще ценю свою жизнь. Я и вам не советую этого делать. |
Crossing the river on the ice at the beginning of April is a real madness. It’s no use (there is no sense in / point in) talking me into it - I won’t take you to the other side. I still value my life. And I don’t advise you to do it either. |
8 |
Мне не нравится то, как учат технике чтения в школе. Детей заставляют читать как можно быстрее, не обращая внимания на тот факт, понимают ли дети, что они читают. Чтение без понимания прочитанного - это абсурд. |
I don’t like the way reading technique is taught at school. The children are made to read as fast as possible, without paying attention to the fact if they understand what they are reading. Reading without understanding what has been read is absurd. |
9 |
Наблюдение за поведением птиц может быть очень интересным занятием. Знаете ли вы, что в 40-50х годах это было одним из самых распространенных увлечений среди англичан? |
Bird-watching can be a very interesting occupation. Do you know that in the 40s and 50s it was one of the most popular hobbies among the English?
|
10 |
Вы думаете, имеет смысл попросить нашего преподавателя разрешить мне написать этот тест еще раз? – Сейчас нет, потому что ты напишешь его так же плохо, как и в прошлый раз. Но если ты хорошо к нему подготовишься, то тогда я думаю, имеет смысл с ним поговорить. |
Do you think there is any point (sense) in asking out teacher to let me re-write this test (write this test again)? – Not now, because you will write it as badly as last time. But if you prepare for it well, then I think there is some sense in talking to him (it makes sense to talk to him). |