Gerund as the predicate

The use of the gerund in this function is restricted to only two patterns:

1. interrogative sentences beginning with “What about…?” and “How about…?”

e.g. What about joining us for a cup of coffee?

How about playing a game of tennis?

2. exclamatory sentences expressing indignation,

e.g. Speaking to me in this tone!

Letting him go away with that!

Gerund as the predicative

As a rule gerund in the function of the predicative happens after the link verbs and prepositions

to be to look + like to mean to be like

e.g. Her role is showing people in and out.

I didn’t like the idea. It meant losing my job

Reading his letter looked to her like feeling his presence.

To be among these people was like breathing fresh air in a desert.

Note:

• Don’t confuse to mean + infinitive in the function of an object, e.g. Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you.

• Gerund is not very often used in this function.

TASK 5. Change the sentences below so that to use the gerund or the infinitive either in the function of the subject or the predicative. Write a story about Sheila’s job and read it in class. 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.

1. She is a nurse in a large city hospital. This is a very good experience.

2. She helps doctors in the operating theatre. It's interesting.

3. She takes care of old people. It takes a lot of patience.

4. She tries to cheer up sick people. It's very important.

5. She looks after contagious patients. It's dangerous.

6. She works long hours without a break. It's very tiring.

7. She does all these things. It is worth-while.

TASK 6. Translate into English using gerund as the predicate and as the predicative.

1. Как насчет того, чтобы поехать в субботу за город? – Что? Предлагать мне это перед самым экзаменом? Ты просто надо мной издеваешься!

2. Самое сильное увлечение моего отца – виндсерфинг. В прошлом году он был во Франции. И знаете, что он привез? Нет, не духи! Суперсовременный серф, который весит всего 10 килограмм.

3. Что ты думаешь по поводу того, чтобы рассказать все, что нам известно полиции? – Вмешивать в это дело полицию неразумно. Мне не нравится эта идея. Это значит, рассказать о наших подозрения, не имея никаких улик. Нас просто поднимут на смех!

4. Не нужно пытаться решать за меня мои вопросы. Ваша обязанность - отвечать на телефонные звонки и печатать письма. Не стоит совать ваш хорошенький носик в то, что вас совершенно не касается.

5. Как насчет перерыва на обед? Мы уже работает 10 часов без остановки. Мой желудок, наверняка, скоро начнет играть военные марши. – Что? Предлагать мне прервать работу, только потому, что ты ужасный обжора? Никогда! Если хочешь есть, иди сам, а я буду работать, пока не закончу.

Gerund as part of the compound verbal aspect predicate

In this function the gerund always follows the notional verb that denotes:

• the beginning of the action,

to start to begin to commence to burst out

e.g. Please, don’t start arguing again.

Seeing his mother’s face the child burst out crying.

• the duration or continuation of the action,

to go on to continue to keep to carry on to keep on/up

e.g. The manager’s face kept on smiling but his eyes got cold as ice.

used to + infinitive + gerund would + infinitive + gerund

e.g. In winter they used to go skiing every day.

On her bad days she would sit doing nothing but looking at the wall opposite her.

• the end of the action,

to finish to give up to cease to end up to stop to leave off

e.g. You will lose weight if you give up eating so many sweet things.

Note: The verbs to start, to begin, to stop, to continue, to go on can also be followed by the infinitive.

Remember the difference between

• ‘stop + gerund’ and ‘stop + infinitive’

• ‘go on + gerund’ and ‘go on + infinitive’ (See ‘The Infinitive’)