Gerund - Grammar Exercises

Grammar exercises and activities for teaching the Gerund to English language learners. Some exercises include answer keys.

I. Define the forms of the gerund .

1. Skiing is my favourite sport. 
2. I remember his telling me about his coat. 
3. I remember having seen this match. 
4. Before taking up swimming she had been very fond of playing basketball. 
5. The football player was punished for having pushed the centre forward. 
6. The young high jumper was very proud of being praised. 
7. I did not know you had stopped rooting for our team. 
8. I remember having been told about this match.

Answer: 1. Skiing – Indefinite Active; 2. telling - Indefinite Active; 3. having seen - Perfect Active; 4. – taking up –Indefinite Active; playing – Indefinite Active; 5. having pushed – Perfect Active; 6. being praised – Indefinite Passive; 7. rooting for – Indefinite Active; 8. having been told – Perfect Passive.

II. State the forms and functions of the gerund .

1. Seeing is believing. 
2. In copying this text he made a few mistakes. 
3. After finishing the experiment the discussed the results. 
4. After having read the letter, she put it into her bag. 
5. We enrich our knowledge by reading books. 
6. Asking him about it was useless. 
7. It is good fishing in troubled water. 
8. There is nothing doing. 
9. Her greatest pleasure is reading such books. 
10. He began reading this book yesterday. 
11. We insisted on the meeting being put off. 
12. I don’t like his manner of reading. 
13. I had the pleasure of knowing him personally.

Answer: 1. Seeing – Indefinite Active, Subject; believing - Active Indefinite, part of a compound predicate; 2. In copying – Indefinite Active; adverbial modifier of time; 3. after finishing - Indefinite Active; adverbial modifier of time; 4. after having read – Perfect Active; adverbial modifier of time; 5. by reading books - Indefinite Active; adverbial modifier of manner; 6. asking – Indefinite Active; subject; 7. fishing - Indefinite Active; subject; 8. doing – Indefinite Active; subject; 9. reading – Indefinite Active; part of a compound predicate; 10. reading – Indefinite Active; part of a compound predicate; 11. being put off – Indefinite Passive; object; 12. of reading – Indefinite Active; attribute; 13. of knowing - Indefinite Active; attribute.

III. Complete the proverbs and sayings by adding gerunds. Employ the suitable gerunds in brackets. Consult this list of proverbs.

1. Learn to swim by ... 
2. Think twice before ... 
3. Doing is better than ... 
4. Seeing is ... 
5. Appetite comes with ... 
6. You can’t make an omelet without ... 
7. A watched pot is long in ... 
8. Clean hands want no ... 
9. It is no use … 
10. He who likes borrowing dislikes ... 

(speaking; swimming; believing; saying; eating; boiling; paying; washing; crying over the split milk; breaking eggs)

Answer: 1. Learn to swim by swimming. 2. Think twice before speaking. 3. Doing is better than saying. 4. Seeing is believing. 5. Appetite comes with eating. 6. You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs. 7. A watched pot is long in boiling. 8. Clean hands want no washing. 9. It is no use crying over the split milk. 10. He who likes borrowing dislikes paying. 

IV. Practise the following table. Make changes whatever necessary using the Gerund.

Model
To read English papers helps you to learn English better. → Reading English papers helps you to learn English better.

1.

To listen to the radio To do grammar exercises To speak English

helps you to learn English better.

2.

To travel

first class by coach by express by plane

is more expensive. will be more quicker. may be more convenient.

V. Use the Gerund instead of the Infinitive.

Model
A: Rafael has given up (to smoke).
B: Rafael has given up smoking.

1. Philip has finished (to pack). 
2. We all enjoy (to travel). 
3. This door needs (to paint). 
4. My vacuum cleaner wants (to fix). 
5. Will you please go on (to play the piano)? 
6.  I don’t mind you (to do this work). 
7. Nick is sure of his (to come here in time). 
8. Thanks for (to bring the book). 
9.  He is too fond of (to talk). 
10. We look forward to (to see you soon). 
11. We are all pleased with her (to sing). 
12. I can’t help (to laugh at his jokes). 
13. It’s no good (to look for it now). 
14. It’s worth (to see this play). 
15. There’s no use (to worry about these things). 

VI. Practise gerunds in functions of adverbial modifier of time.

1. Combine the sentences using the Gerund.

Model
A: Post a letter. First stick a stamp on the envelope.
B: Before posting a letter stick a stamp on the envelope.

1. Get on the train. First buy the ticket. 
2. Make a conclusion. First explore the problem carefully. 
3. Enter the office building. Show your pass. 
4. Buy a suit. First try it on. 

2. Make up sentences using the Gerund.

Model
A: He wrote some letters and then went out.
B: After writing some letters he went out.

1. She laid the table and then brought in the tea. 
2. The boys lay on the beach and then had a swim. 
3. We visited the museum and then went to a tea house. 
4. He packed and then went to the airport. 

VII. Replace the subordinate clauses by gerunds. State their functions.

1. I remember that I enjoyed speed skating, now I am ardent figure skating. 
2. The sportsman complained that he had strained a leg muscle some days before.

Answer:
1. I remember enjoying speed skating, now I am ardent figure skating. 2. The sportsman complained his having strained a leg muscle some days before.

VIII. Practise in using the Gerund. Compose flashes of conversation according to the model. Work in pair.

Model 1. Somebody invited you to a party. 

A: Thank you very much for inviting me to the party. 

B: It’s so nice you could come. (You’re welcome.) 

1. Somebody assisted you with your English. 
2.  Somebody helped you to arrange a visit. 
3. Somebody let you know about a press-conference. 

Model 2: 

A: You are late. 

B: Excuse my being late. (Excuse me for being late.) 

1. You’ve missed the speaker’s point. 
2. You’ve interrupted a person. 
3. You didn’t follow the teacher’s explanations. 
4. You ask someone an embarrassing question. 

Model 3: 

You can make a living by (to write, to paint, to teach, etc.) →

You can make a living by writing (by painting, by teaching, etc.) 

1. you can keep healthy and fit (to walk much, to consult the doctor regularly, to diet, to go in for sports, etc.); 
2. a person can enjoy (to read, to visit museums, etc.); 
3. you are good at (to play tennis, to learn foreign languages, to swim, etc.); 
4. you are no good at (to play chess, to paint, to recite poetry, etc.)

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