Linked Questions

1 vote
3 answers
658 views

gerund or participle [duplicate]

Literature is inevitably a distorting--not a neutral--medium. Writers interpose their vision between the reader and reality. In the above sentence, is the word distorting a gerund or a participle ? ...
Abdul Kaium Tanvir's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
136 views

Is the word shocking in this sentence being used as a gerund or present participle? And why? [duplicate]

Is the word shocking in this sentence being used as a gerund or present participle? And why? We heard shocking news. My daughter had recently taken an English test at a Korean middle school. The ...
user494662's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
249 views

What part of speech is "baking" in "baking is fun"? [duplicate]

In the sentence "baking is fun," what part of speech is "baking"?
Scarlett's user avatar
16 votes
13 answers
9k views

How many parts of speech can a word be at the same time?

ᴛʟᴅʀ: Is it ever possible for a sentence to have a word in it that is simultaneously more than one single part of speech in that sentence under the same parse and meaning? (For example, a few possible ...
tchrist's user avatar
  • 137k
16 votes
6 answers
5k views

Using "so" and "very" for ungradable adjectives

We generally use modifiers such as "so" and "very" for gradable/normal adjectives (water can be quite/so/very HOT, but not quite/so/very BOILING (an ungradable/extreme adjective). Yet would you say ...
Louel's user avatar
  • 2,667
15 votes
4 answers
9k views

How productive is the verb prefix "un-"?

Is it possible to use un- with new words such as sit, sleep, sad? I'm currently seeing many words (in programming) which use un- in the meaning of undoing something. For example, is it possible to ...
user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
18k views

Should I modify a gerund using an adjective or an adverb?

I know that a gerund is a noun, so it should be modified by an adjective. However, it is also a verb form. Can I modify it by using an adverb?
Worawit Tepsan's user avatar
5 votes
4 answers
3k views

Is "Let's get started" passive voice or not?

Is the idiomatic expression 'get started' (as in "Let's get started") a passive construction? Or is 'started' here an adjective? EDIT As John Lawler has suggested in his answer, let's not get ...
JK2's user avatar
  • 7,316
5 votes
7 answers
2k views

Is "entitled" a passive voice verb or adjective in "everyone is entitled to respect"?

Adjective or verb passive form?? In the sentence We teach our children that everyone is entitled to respect and dignity is 'entitled' more likely an adjective or a verb? A similar question appeared ...
Qiandi Liu's user avatar
6 votes
3 answers
3k views

Adjectives that do not have predicative position

I've read somewhere that some adjectives cannot be used in the predicative position; for example "this is a major problem" is acceptable, but "the problem is major" is not acceptable. I'm wondering ...
Pacerier's user avatar
  • 7,045
6 votes
2 answers
1k views

Should "gerund + objective" be modified by adjectives or adverbs?

I read from TheFreeDictionary http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Gerunds.htm the examples "Studying too hastily will result in a poor grade." and "Working from home allows me to spend more time with my ...
Captain Bohemian's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
3k views

Difference between gerund and present participle [duplicate]

What is the difference between a gerund and present participle? When should we use a gerund and when should we use a present participle ?
jahngir's user avatar
  • 31
0 votes
3 answers
572 views

-ing word as modifier of a noun: Verb or attributive/deverbal Noun?

Note: I sat on this question for quite some time, but after wracking my brain on it for quite a while, I finally caved and decided to ask it as a question. When I say “dining room,” most people, I ...
Taylor B.'s user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
277 views

Noun + Gerund Structure Differences [closed]

Just need your insights on the sentences that really boggle my mind. The first sentence below is an excerpt taken from the following article: The effect of smoking on bone healing It is difficult to ...
Sercan's user avatar
  • 57
2 votes
1 answer
623 views

For the linguists among us: I like loud singing vs I like singing loudly

Can you explain why using "loud" as either an adjective or an adverb changes the meaning of the sentence. Is it just an English convention, or is there something deeper going on? I like loud singing =...
Joseph O.'s user avatar
  • 375

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