4.2. Before Nouns

The gerund in the function of a premodifying attribute usually suggests the destination of the object or a person's occupation: a diving suit – a suit for diving a smoking room – a room for smoking a reading lamp – a lamp for reading a singing teacher – a teacher of singing In this pattern only the gerund has the main stress or is stressed: a 'dancing hall a 'writing `career

Exercise 9. Match each adjective in column A with the appropriate noun in column B. Compose your own sentences using the expressions:

A B

1 carving A board

2 shaving B rod

3 building C bag

4 diving D stone

5 watering E license

6 parking F powder

7 driving G knife

8 filling H can

9 paving I water

10 walking J site

11 fishing K cream

12 sleeping L space

13 ironing M station

14 washing N stick

15 drinking O board

Example: His curving knife was on the table.(1-G)

Exercise 10. Supply the necessary preposition:

against

in

for

of

on

to

1.Ordinary people lived in fear ___ being arrested by the secret police. 2.Her main purpose ___ suing the newspaper was to clear her name. 3.I came to Brighton with the purpose ____ seeing you. 4.Imagine my surprise ___ seeing her there. 5.People gave many different reasons ____ wanting to change jobs. 6.Doreen owes him an apology _____ treating him so badly. 7.There is not much point ____ complaining. 8.His decision _______ going on holiday surprised everyone. 9.I have no objection ____ hearing your story again. 10. I don't like his habit ____ making people wait. 11. He used the bad weather as an excuse ____ for not coming. 12. What are the advantages ___ living in the town? 13. There's no way ____ making my father see reason. 14. What are your reasons ______ leaving the job? 15. We had difficulty ____ finding a parking. 16. We came to the island in the hope ____ finding a simpler way of life.

5.The gerund as adverbial modifier.

The gerund is always proceeded by a preposition in this syntactical function.

The Gerund can be used as an adverbial modifier of different types:

as Adverbial Modifier of Time;

as Adverbial Modifier of Attendant Circumstance;

as Adverbial Modifier of Manner;

as Adverbial Modifier of Cause (Reason);

as Adverbial Modifier of Substitution / Replacement;

as Adverbial Modifier of Comparison/ Preference ;

as Adverbial Modifier of Addition;

as Adverbial Modifier of Concession;

as Adverbial Modifier of Condition;

as Adverbial Modifier of Exception (Exclusion);

as Adverbial Modifier of Purpose.

5.1.The gerund as adverbial modifier of time.

on (formal usage) after before in since (preposition)

doing something

She locked the door before going to bed. = She locked the door before she went to bed.

After leaving school, Mackay worked in a restaurant for a year. - 'After leaving' is the gerund which is used in the function of an adverbial modifier of time.

I usually take a shower before having my breakfast.

In trying to protect the girl, Howard had put his own life in danger.

On asking for information I was told I must wait.

She's been working in a bank since leaving school.

NOTE:

The perfect form of the gerund can be used after these prepositions to emphasize the priority of the action while the non-perfect form is more usual.