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Difference between Gerund and Participle

Difference between Gerund and Participle

Both gerunds and participles are verb forms that can act as adjectives or nouns, but there are some key differences between them. In this blog post, we’ll explore the difference between gerunds and participles, and provide some examples to help you understand each one better. Let’s get started!

What is Gerund?

Gerund is a type of verb ending that indicates the verb is being used as a noun. Gerunds can be used as the subjects or objects of sentences, and they can be modified by adjectives and other verbs. Gerunds are created by adding -ing to the base form of a verb (e.g., running, swimming, dancing). Gerunds are always treated as singular nouns, even if they refer to plural events or multiple people. For example, “He enjoys swimming” is correct, even though the word “swimming” refers to more than one swim.

Gerunds can also be used after prepositions (e.g., “He’s afraid of flying”). When a sentence has two gerunds (e.g., “He likes swimming and running”), the first gerund is usually the subject and the second gerund is usually the object. Gerunds are often confused with present participles (-ing verbs that indicate ongoing action), but they serve different functions in sentences. Gerunds can stand alone as nouns, but present participles must be accompanied by auxiliary verbs (e.g., “He’s swimming” vs. “He swims”).

What is Participle?

Participles are a type of verbal, or verbal adjective. Participles are classified as verbals because they are derived from verbs and still retain some of the properties and functions of verbs. Participles can be used as adjectives, nouns, and Gerund.

  • Participles always relate to the subject. Participle Phrases always begin with a present participle or past participle. A participle is a word formed from a verb which can be used as an adjective or to form verb tenses.
  • There are two types of participles: present participles and past participles. Participles are often confused with Gerunds. A Gerund is a verb form that ends in “ing” and functions as a noun (e.g., swimming, singing).
  • Participles also end in “ing” but they function as adjectives (e.g., the swimming pool, the singing bird). Participles can be used as adjectives in front of a noun (e.g., bored students, interested onlookers) or after a linking verb (e.g., The students are bored; The paint looks dry).

Participles can also be used to form progressive verb tenses (e.g., I am studying; They were watching). Participles can also be used to form perfect verb tenses (e.g., I have read the book; They will have finished by lunchtime). Some irregular verbs have irregular participles (e.g., read-read, run-run, see-seen). When using participles, make sure that the subject and the participle agree in number (singular/plural).

Difference between Gerund and Participle

Gerunds and participles are both verb forms that can be used as nouns. The main difference between a gerund and a participle is that a gerund always functions as a noun, while a participle can function as either a verb or an adjective.

  • Gerunds are formed by adding -ing to the base form of a verb (e.g., swimming, cleaning, etc.), while participles are typically formed by adding -ed or -ing to the base form of a verb (e.g., swims, cleaned, etc.).
  • Participles can also be irregular (e.g., written, run, etc.). When used as nouns, gerunds and participles can take the place of traditional nouns in a sentence (e.g., Gerund: I enjoy swimming; Participle: He enjoys swimming).
  • They can also be modified by adjectives and take direct objects ( Gerund: I don’t mind doing the laundry; Participle: He’s really good at writing). In summary, the main difference between a gerund and participle is that a gerund always functions as a noun while a participle can function as either a verb or an adjective.

Conclusion

Gerunds and participles can be confusing, but with a little practice, you’ll be able to spot them every time. Once you know the difference between gerunds and participles, you will be able to use them correctly in your writing. Remember that gerunds are always verbs, while participles can be either verbs or adjectives. When using a participle as an adjective, make sure it agrees with the noun it is modifying in terms of number and gender.

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