A noun formed from a verb by the addition of -ing.
2
votes
1answer
69 views
How to form a gerund from “practise”?
I (think) I know the difference between practise (verb) and practice (non-verb).
However, I am not sure which form I should use in cases like the following ones:
I love practising the guitar.
...
1
vote
1answer
49 views
“A tool to do” vs. “a tool that does” vs. “a tool for doing”
I'm the curator of the Open Web Platform Daily Digest link. In the "Tools" section of each daily I write entries in this format:
tool_name, tool_description
For example:
hapi, a server framework ...
0
votes
2answers
65 views
“Committed to supporting X” vs. “committed to support X”
I'm trying to edit a speech and found a commonly used phase which I'm not sure if I should amend it or not. The sentence goes like this:
[a subject] is committed to supporting [a project].
...
3
votes
1answer
92 views
Gerund preceded by a genitive?
Is this sentence actually grammatical?
You know your having a rough day when kittens don't even make you smile.
The writer of this sentence may intend to mean you're instead of your but I'm just ...
-2
votes
0answers
102 views
Which one is grammatical, “it's time for cooking” or “it's time to cook”?
Which one is grammatical?
It's time for cooking.
It's time to cook.
0
votes
1answer
77 views
two nouns together
In every case where we find the word anointing(KJV) in the Old Testament it is from a Hebrew word that is a noun. Most of the time it is coupled with the word oil as in anointing oil. If I was ...
1
vote
5answers
101 views
“stop to do something” vs. “continue to do something”
A transcript of a recent speech by Barack Obama contains the following sentence:
Boston police, firefighters, and first responders as well as the National Guard responded heroically, and continue ...
0
votes
0answers
37 views
Is the noun “well-ordering” grammatical? [closed]
In mathematics, the noun phrase "well-ordering" is used, as in "this ordering is a well-ordering of the set". I think the mathematical meaning has no bearing on my question, which is: is this phrase a ...
3
votes
3answers
145 views
Is “to practice volleyball requires stamina” grammatical?
Is the sentence "to practice volleyball requires stamina" grammatically correct? As opposed to the sentence "practicing volleyball requires stamina"?
Another example:
To ensure safety ...
2
votes
2answers
90 views
Why is it “objections to moving”, not “objections to move”? [closed]
I got this sentence from the Economist:
There are two primary objections to moving to the chained CPI.
My question is, why have they used moving instead of move after objections to?
2
votes
1answer
166 views
Use of gerund without preposition “to”
Can I use gerunds with the word "concede" without using preposition "to" as in the sentence below?
He concedes killing his wife.
2
votes
2answers
127 views
Is there a single-word noun for an overwhelming feeling that uses “overwhelm” as its root?
Is there a single-word noun for an overwhelming feeling that uses overwhelm as its root?
My first thought was to make a gerund, that is, overwhelming. Although overwhelming is normally used as an ...
-3
votes
1answer
134 views
When do we use “to” as an infinitive marker? [closed]
In these two sentences:
I look forward to get.
I look forward to getting it.
Why is the first sentence incorrect? When do we use to as an infinitive marker?
0
votes
0answers
19 views
“need to be washed”, “need washing”, or “need washed”? [duplicate]
The car needs to be washed.
The car needs washing.
The car needs washed.
What's the subtle differences between them?
0
votes
3answers
181 views
Why is a gerund used after the verb “confess to”
A simple form of the verb is often used after to, but sometimes the simple form is replaced by a gerund. For example:
He confessed to having a secret admiration for his opponent.
Edwards ...
1
vote
2answers
146 views
Noun phrase after “show”
The following sentences all involve the verb "show" followed by a noun phrase. Number 6 sounds a bit weird, and the last one is just wrong — but why is that?
The video shows the ...
3
votes
5answers
300 views
Infinitive vs. present participle (time relations)
I was told that one of the following refers to the past and the other to the future. I cannot decide which is which and would appreciate it if someone could explain the difference between these ...
0
votes
3answers
61 views
“Attempts to acquaint” vs. “attempts at acquainting”
The research study is an eye-opener and attempts to
acquaint/attempts at acquainting us with the problems of poor
nations.
For me, attempts to acquaint sounds more apt. But I am not sure ...
0
votes
3answers
413 views
Verb after preposition
Is it correct to write this: "... rely on emulating techniques"? I must write the emulate verb in gerund because it is preceded by an preposition, right?
The whole sentence is:
These systems ...
-1
votes
1answer
181 views
“Feel committed to [gerund/infinitive]”
Does "feel committed to" require an infinitive or gerund complement?
For example, which of the following is grammatical?
I feel committed to following up on that.
I feel committed to follow ...
2
votes
2answers
101 views
“Weeks of rain/raining”? “Weeks of fight/fighting”? Is there a rule to use the gerund in those examples?
It’s common and correct to use both after two weeks of rain and after two weeks of fighting. But since fight is also a noun, couldn’t it be used instead of fighting?
Also, why rain and not raining? ...
2
votes
1answer
47 views
The correct use of “sundering”
I'm writing a book in which one of the major events is a day that separates two major forces in the world.
It's meant to be a punishment from a high power, so at first I wanted to call it The Day of ...
1
vote
1answer
147 views
Is it necessary to use “the” before using verb+“ing” in specific contexts?
I am confused with whether it is necessary to use the before verbs in certain contexts. Like:
The milking of a cow is not a painful process at all like you think.
I am afraid it has never been ...
4
votes
1answer
101 views
“Work” vs. “working” (noun)
What are the differences between work and working when used as nouns?
For example:
Advocates claim that work/working brings a lot of benefits for young people.
Which one is correct? I have ...
1
vote
1answer
178 views
“Heard me [infinitive]” vs. “heard me [gerund]”
"Heard me [infinitive]" vs. "heard me [gerund]"
At that time, you wouldn't have heard me talk about it.
At that time, you wouldn't have heard me talking about it.
At that time, ...
0
votes
0answers
22 views
possessive adjective + gerund vs. object pronoun + gerund [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When is a gerund supposed to be preceded by a possessive pronoun?
What is the difference between:
[possessive adjective + gerund] and
[object pronoun + gerund]
...
2
votes
1answer
154 views
Correct usage of infinitives
I am not sure about the usage of infinitives in this sentence:
Finally, one of the accused confessed to have forged the director's
signature on the report.
Could anyone explain correct usage?
...
2
votes
1answer
320 views
in order to [gerund] or [infinitive]?
There are few questions and answer on the choice of gerund versus infinitive.
From what I understand, when conveying a purpose the infinitive should be used:
I use my key in order to open the ...
5
votes
3answers
206 views
Ambiguity of “to be” + gerund
I would like to ask about a basic sentence that really confuses me.
My favorite sport is swimming.
I think it is strange. "Swimming" can be interpreted as a gerund ("I like to swim; it is my ...
1
vote
2answers
92 views
“Drag & dropping” or “Dragging & dropping”
"Drag & dropping" sounds better to me, but "Dragging & dropping" has more Google results...
Which one is correct and why?
1
vote
2answers
304 views
Infinitive or Gerund for celebration of an event?
Which of the following sentences would be correct in a baby shower invitation.
My grandparents are looking forward to celebrate my arrival in February.
My grandparents are looking forward to ...
0
votes
2answers
334 views
Is this present participle or gerund? [closed]
Given the sentence:
Most people who live and work near Washington, DC, would have trouble
imagining dinosaurs walking around the area.
Grammatically, what do they call it, ‘imaging’ in this case? ...
2
votes
4answers
440 views
What is the difference between “dewatering” and “unwatering”
This report on the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy refers to the process of removing water as unwatering. However, I always thought that this process was called dewatering. What, if any, is the ...
4
votes
3answers
111 views
“Spell check” vs. “spelling check”
I can't remember the exact place I saw this (but I believe it was on another StackExchange site), but when someone was commenting on a software's "spell check" function, they said something to the ...
4
votes
1answer
397 views
The choice between the gerund and the infinitive in a certain construction
I am pretty much sure that for native speakers the issue I am going to bring up might look as an uncalled question as they can easily figure out which form of a verbal part of speech should be used, ...
0
votes
5answers
51 views
Is using “get on developing” correct in this phrase?
You could get on developing this project and help me to add more features to that.
1
vote
2answers
103 views
Is “solutioning” a correct word in a technical context? [closed]
I'm a translator from English into Italian language. While translating a British patent I found the following sentence:
The large heat treatment window seen in the ThermoCalc simulation also ...
0
votes
0answers
139 views
Function of -ing verbal form [closed]
What function do the -ing verbal forms play in the following sentence?
He sat down calmly, shutting his eyes, thinking.
Are shutting and thinking gerunds? I don't think so, despite the -ing ...
4
votes
4answers
291 views
Cooking apples and cleaning ladies
Consider the following sentences:
Cooking is my favourite activity.
Cooking apples are essential for this recipe.
Cooking functions in the first sentence as a gerund. How does it function in the ...
1
vote
0answers
29 views
“Thank you for your coming” and “Thank you for your understanding” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“Thank you for coming” and “Thank you for your coming”
The first one seems ungrammatical, as pointed by some of native speakers. But the latter ...
1
vote
2answers
132 views
“He remembered seeing a pocket compass […] and marveling/marveled”
Albert Einstein talked about what influenced his life as a scientist.
He remembered seeing a pocket compass when he was five years old and
(marveling/marveled) that the needle always pointed ...
0
votes
2answers
1k views
“Thank you for coming” and “Thank you for your coming”
Consider "Thank you for coming" and "Thank you for your coming".
Would the latter one be grammatical? Why? Is it possible to recognize latter "coming" as noun? Some say you need no pronoun because it ...
17
votes
5answers
933 views
When can the -ing form of a verb be placed before a noun?
My native-speaker's grammatical intuition tells me that:
There is a sleeping man under the tree.
is fine but
There is a fishing man by the river bank.
is wrong. Why?
I've thought about ...
7
votes
3answers
493 views
Help identifying an error type “tried to help me learning”
I have a friend from Russia who is trying to learn English and recently used the sentence "He tried to help me learning..." (implied: the English language)
It is obviously wrong and I corrected it ...
-1
votes
1answer
3k views
“Prefer to do something” vs. “prefer doing something” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When should a verb be followed by a gerund instead of an infinitive?
What's the difference between the two:
What materials do they prefer working with?
What ...
-1
votes
1answer
406 views
Past Perfect and gerund vs. Past Perfect and Simple Past [closed]
When using the past perfect tense to say something happened before something else, is it correct to use the gerund form (as opposed to the past tense) to express the latter event? For example, is it ...
1
vote
2answers
442 views
“Ambitious to [infinitive]” vs. “ambitious about [gerund]”
What is the correct preposition to use with ambitious?
I am ambitious to achieve success.
I am ambitious about achieving success.
7
votes
3answers
144 views
“Comparing” vs “A comparison of ”
A professor criticized the language in a presentation. In particular he said that English preferred a noun phrase such as a comparison of to a gerund such as comparing.
For reference the entire ...
2
votes
2answers
134 views
Which tense should I use in this situation? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Using the gerund two times in a row
Here is the sentence:
Just as on smoking, voices now come from many quarters (insisting
or insist) that the science about ...
4
votes
1answer
148 views
Are all of these sentences grammatical?
He was charged with killing 13 people.
He was charged with having killed 13 people.
He was charged with the crime he killed 13 people.
I suppose the phrase no. 1 is correct but the ...
