Nouns

“The Least You Need To Know”

 A noun is:

Person           

Place         

Thing         

Idea/Concept           

Quality

Concrete Nouns:                            Abstract Nouns:

Common Nouns:                                      Proper Nouns:

Collective Nouns take a singular verb if they are all doing the same thing:

The class is/are performing poetry today.

The school committee was/were unanimous.

The faculty was/were split on what to do about the new schedule.

Gerunds (-ing)

When a verb ends in -ing, it may be a gerund or a present participle. It is important to understand that they are not the same.

When we use a verb in -ing form more like a noun, it is usually a gerund:

• Fishing is fun.
• Swimming is my favorite sport.
• Smiling and laughing are both forms of flirtation.

When we use a verb in -ing form more like a verb or an adjective, it is usually a present participle:

• Anthony is fishing.
• I have a boring teacher.

For extra credit, we look at how we use gerunds, followed by a quiz to check your understanding.  I am piloting the materials on this page and I appreciate any input of the attached quizzes from a student’s perspective.

• Gerunds as Subject, Object or Complement
• Gerunds after Prepositions
• Gerunds after Certain Verbs
• Gerunds in Passive Sense
• Gerunds Quiz

Many grammarians do not like to use the expression "gerund". That is because there is sometimes no clear difference between a gerund and a present participle.

Adapted from:  http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-gerunds.htm