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Gerunds Worksheet With Answers And Free PDF

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Gerunds Worksheets With Answers & Free PDF

Before going directly into the gerunds worksheets with answers, it might be a good idea first to understand what are gerunds in brief.

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What are gerunds In English Grammar?

A gerund is a form of a verb that functions as a noun in a sentence. It is created by adding the “-ing” suffix to the base form of a verb.

For example:

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  • Base verb: “read”
    Gerund: “reading”
  • Base verb: “write”
    Gerund: “writing”

Gerunds can be used in various ways in a sentence, similar to regular nouns:

  1. As the subject of a sentence: “Reading is one of my favorite hobbies.”
  2. As the object of a verb: “She enjoys reading books.”
  3. As the object of a preposition: “He is interested in learning new skills.”
  4. As the complement of a linking verb: “Her passion is dancing.”

Gerunds are often confused with present participles, which also end in “-ing.” However, the key difference is that gerunds function as nouns, while present participles function as adjectives or form part of continuous verb tenses. For example:

Gerund: “I enjoy swimming.” (Swimming is the object of the verb “enjoy.”) Present Participle: “The swimming pool is crowded.” (Swimming describes the noun “pool.”)

Now let’s move on to the gerunds worksheets with answers. We have also provided printable worksheets, you can download them also for your personal use.

Gerunds Worksheets Questions

  1. Fill in the blanks with the correct gerund or infinitive form of the verb provided in parentheses.
    PDF included For This Worksheet

gerunds worksheets with answers
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The following worksheet is printable. Download these gerunds worksheets with answers.

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  1. I enjoy ________________ new recipes. (try)
  2. She decided ________________ a book about her travels. (write)
  3. His dream is ________________ a successful entrepreneur. (become)
  4. We need ________________ the room before the guests arrive. (clean)
  5. She can’t wait ________________ on the roller coaster. (go)
  6. They love ________________ delicious food. (cook)
  7. It’s essential ________________ a balanced diet. (have)
  8. He wants ________________ the guitar like a pro. (play)
  9. The best way ________________ a language is to practice regularly. (learn)
  10. She enjoys ________________ at the beach on sunny days. (relax)
  11. We decided ________________ early to catch the sunrise. (wake up)
  12. They hope ________________ the championship this year. (win)
  13. He doesn’t like ________________ in front of a large audience. (speak)
  14. She promised ________________ her best in the upcoming competition. (do)

Answer Key:

  1. I enjoy trying new recipes. (try)
  2. She decided to write a book about her travels. (write)
  3. His dream is to become a successful entrepreneur. (become)
  4. We need to clean the room before the guests arrive. (clean)
  5. She can’t wait to go on the roller coaster. (go)
  6. They love cooking delicious food. (cook)
  7. It’s essential to have a balanced diet. (have)
  8. He wants to play the guitar like a pro. (play)
  9. The best way to learn a language is to practice regularly. (learn)
  10. She enjoys relaxing at the beach on sunny days. (relax)
  11. We decided to wake up early to catch the sunrise. (wake up)
  12. They hope to win the championship this year. (win)
  13. He doesn’t like speaking in front of a large audience. (speak)
  14. She promised to do her best in the upcoming competition. (do)

Remember to review explanations to answers below once you have completed this worksheet on gerunds with answers

 

  1. Identify the gerunds in the following sentences and specify their functions (subject, object, complement, or object of a preposition). The First one has been done for you.

  1. Running is good exercise for staying fit.
    Gerund: Running
    Function: Subject
  2. My teacher enjoys teaching mathematics.
  3. The highlight of the trip was exploring ancient ruins.
  4. He is interested in learning to play the piano.
  5. Singing in the shower makes me feel happy.
  6. Writing poems is her favorite hobby.
  7. They need your help cleaning the house.
  8. After finishing the project, she celebrated her success.
  9. We appreciate your volunteering for this event.

Answer Key:

  1. Gerund: Running
    Function: Subject
  2. Gerund: Teaching
    Function: Object of the verb “enjoys”
  3. Gerund: Exploring
    Function: Complement of the subject “highlight”
  4. Gerund: Learning
    Function: Object of the preposition “in”
  5. Gerund: Singing
    Function: Subject
  6. Gerund: Writing
    Function: Subject
  7. Gerund: Cleaning
    Function: Object of the noun “help”
  8. Gerund: Finishing
    Function: Object of the preposition “after”
  9. Gerund: Volunteering
    Function: Object of the preposition “for”

Remember to review explanations to answers below once you have completed this gerunds worksheets with answers

 

  1. Identify whether the following -ing word is a gerund or a present participle in each sentence.

  1. The sound of running water was soothing.
  2. She enjoys dancing at parties.
  3. The chef, chopping vegetables, prepared the meal.
  4. He was swimming in the pool.
  5. The barking dog alerted the neighbors.
  6. Painting the walls took all day.
  7. The racing cars thrilled the crowd.
  8. Reading books is a great habit.
  9. The howling wind kept us awake.
  10. She enjoys writing creatively.

Answer Key:

  1. The sound of running water was soothing.
    Word: running|
    Type: Gerund
  2. She enjoys dancing at parties.
    Word: dancing
    Type: Gerund
  3. The chef, chopping vegetables, prepared the meal.
    Word: chopping
    Type: Gerund
  4. He was swimming in the pool.
    Word: swimming
    Type: Gerund
  5. The barking dog alerted the neighbors.
    Word: barking
    Type: Present Participle
  6. Painting the walls took all day.
    Word: Painting
    Type: Gerund
  7. The racing cars thrilled the crowd.
    Word: racing
    Type: Present Participle
  8. Reading books is a great habit.
    Word: Reading
    Type: Gerund
  9. The howling wind kept us awake.
    Word: howling
    Type: Present Participle
  10. She enjoys writing creatively.
    Word: writing
    Type: Gerund

Remember to review explanations to answers once you have completed this gerunds worksheets with answers

Now let’s move on to an explanation of gerunds exercises with answers

 

Gerunds Worksheets With Answers Explained

  1. Fill in the blanks with the correct gerund or infinitive form of the verb provided in parentheses.
  1. I enjoy trying new recipes. (try)
    Explanation: Here, “trying” is a gerund. It acts as the direct object of the verb “enjoy,” showing the activity I enjoy doing. Gerunds function as nouns and often serve as objects of verbs.
  2. She decided to write a book about her travels. (write)
    Explanation: In this sentence, “to write” is an infinitive. It follows the verb “decided” and shows her decision or intention to write a book. Infinitives can express purpose, intention, or what someone wants to do.
  3. His dream is to become a successful entrepreneur. (become)
    Explanation: “To become” is an infinitive here. It complements the noun “dream” and explains what his dream is—to become a successful entrepreneur. Infinitives can function as complements after certain verbs or nouns.
  4. We need to clean the room before the guests arrive. (clean)
    Explanation: In this sentence, “to clean” is an infinitive. It follows the verb “need” and indicates what action is required—to clean the room. Infinitives can follow verbs like “need,” “want,” “have,” etc., to show what needs to be done.
  5. She can’t wait to go on the roller coaster. (go)
    Explanation: “To go” is an infinitive in this sentence. It follows the phrase “can’t wait” and expresses what she can’t wait to do—to go on the roller coaster. Infinitives can follow certain phrases to show anticipation or desire.
  6. They love cooking delicious food. (cook)
    Explanation: Here, “cooking” is a gerund. It acts as the direct object of the verb “love,” showing what they love doing. Gerunds function as nouns and often serve as objects of verbs.
  7. It’s essential to have a balanced diet. (have)|
    Explanation: In this sentence, “to have” is an infinitive. It follows the adjective “essential” and expresses what is necessary or essential—to have a balanced diet. Infinitives can follow adjectives to express necessity or requirement.
  8. He wants to play the guitar like a pro. (play)
    Explanation: “To play” is an infinitive in this sentence. It follows the verb “wants” and shows what he wants to do—to play the guitar like a pro. Infinitives can indicate desires or wishes.
  9. The best way to learn a language is to practice regularly. (learn)
    Explanation: In this sentence, “to learn” is an infinitive. It follows the noun “way” and explains the best method or approach—to learn a language. Infinitives can function as complements after certain nouns.
  10. She enjoys relaxing at the beach on sunny days. (relax)
    Explanation: Here, “relaxing” is a gerund. It acts as the direct object of the verb “enjoys,” showing the activity she enjoys doing. Gerunds function as nouns and often serve as objects of verbs.
  11. We decided to wake up early to catch the sunrise. (wake up)
    Explanation: In this sentence, “to wake up” is an infinitive. It follows the verb “decided” and indicates what they decided to do—to wake up early. Infinitives can express actions or plans.
  12. They hope to win the championship this year. (win)|
    Explanation: “To win” is an infinitive here. It follows the verb “hope” and shows what they hope to do—to win the championship. Infinitives can indicate hopes or aspirations.
  13. He doesn’t like speaking in front of a large audience. (speak)
    Explanation: In this sentence, “speaking” is a gerund. It acts as the direct object of the verb “like,” showing the activity he doesn’t like doing. Gerunds function as nouns and often serve as objects of verbs.
  14. She promised to do her best in the upcoming competition. (do)
    Explanation: “To do” is an infinitive in this sentence. It follows the verb “promised” and indicates what she promised to do—to do her best in the upcoming competition. Infinitives can follow verbs like “promise,” “intend,” “plan,” etc., to show
  1. Identify the gerunds in the following sentences and specify their functions (subject, object, complement, or object of a preposition). The First one has been done for you.

  1. Running is good exercise for staying fit.

    • Gerund as the subject: In this sentence, the gerund “Running” acts as the subject of the sentence. Gerunds can function as the subject of a sentence, just like regular nouns. Here, “Running” is what the sentence is about, expressing the activity that is good exercise for staying fit.

  2. My teacher enjoys teaching mathematics.

    • Gerund as the object of a verb: The gerund “teaching” serves as the direct object of the verb “enjoys.” Gerunds can act as objects of verbs, and in this case, “teaching” is the action that the teacher enjoys doing, which is teaching mathematics.

  3. The highlight of the trip was exploring ancient ruins.

    • Gerund as a complement: The gerund “exploring” functions as a complement to the subject “highlight.” Complements provide further information about the subject. In this sentence, “exploring ancient ruins” describes what the highlight of the trip was.

  4. He is interested in learning to play the piano.

    • Gerund as the object of a preposition: The gerund “learning” follows the preposition “in.” Gerunds often follow prepositions, and in this case, “learning to play the piano” indicates what he is interested in.

  5. Singing in the shower makes me feel happy.

    • Gerund as the subject: The gerund “Singing” acts as the subject of the sentence, expressing the activity that makes the speaker feel happy.

  6. Writing poems is her favorite hobby.

    • Gerund as the subject: Again, the gerund “Writing” serves as the subject, expressing the activity that is her favorite hobby.

  7. They need your help cleaning the house.

    • Gerund as the object of a noun: The gerund “cleaning” acts as the object of the noun “help,” indicating what kind of help is needed.

  8. After finishing the project, she celebrated her success.

    • Gerund as the object of a preposition: The gerund “finishing” follows the preposition “after.” Gerunds frequently follow prepositions, and here it indicates what happened after the project was completed.

  9. His dream is becoming a professional athlete.

    • Gerund as a complement: The gerund “becoming” functions as a complement to the subject “dream,” explaining what his dream is.

  10. We appreciate your volunteering for this event.

    • Gerund as the object of a preposition: The gerund “volunteering” is used after the preposition “for,” indicating what they appreciate.

  1. Identify whether the following -ing word is a gerund or a present participle in each sentence.
  1. The sound of running water was soothing.
    Word: running
    Type: Gerund
    Explanation: In this sentence, “running” acts as a gerund because it functions as a noun, representing the activity or action of “running.” You can identify it as a gerund by asking yourself, “What is the action or activity described here?” In this case, the answer is “running,” which functions as a noun and serves as the subject of the sentence.
  2. She enjoys dancing at parties.
    Word: dancing
    Type: Gerund
    Explanation: Here, “dancing” is a gerund because it functions as a noun, representing the action of “dancing.” It is the object of the verb “enjoys,” showing what she enjoys doing. To identify gerunds, ask yourself, “What is the action that someone is doing or enjoying?” In this case, the answer is “dancing.”
  3. The chef, chopping vegetables, prepared the meal.
    Word: chopping
    Type: Gerund
    Explanation: “Chopping” is a gerund in this sentence because it functions as a noun, representing the action of “chopping” vegetables. It is part of a participial phrase that provides additional information about the chef. To recognize gerunds, look for -ing words that act as nouns and name an action or activity.
  4. He was swimming in the pool.
    Word: Swimming
    Type: Gerund
    Explanation: In this sentence, “swimming” is a gerund as it acts as a noun, representing the action of “swimming.” It is the activity in which he was engaged. To distinguish gerunds, identify -ing words functioning as subjects or objects of verbs.
  5. The barking dog alerted the neighbors.
    Word: barking
    Type: Present Participle
    Explanation: “Barking” is a present participle in this sentence because it functions as an adjective, describing the dog. Present participles modify nouns and show the characteristic of the noun they describe. In this case, “barking” tells us what kind of dog it is (a dog that barks). To recognize present participles, look for -ing words modifying nouns.
  6. Painting the walls took all day.
    Word: Painting
    Type: Gerund
    Explanation: In this sentence, “Painting” is a gerund because it functions as a noun, representing the action of “painting” the walls. It is the subject of the sentence. To identify gerunds, find -ing words acting as the subject of a sentence or clause.
  7. The racing cars thrilled the crowd.
    Word: racing
    Type: Present Participle
    Explanation: “Racing” is a present participle in this sentence as it acts as an adjective, describing the cars. It tells us what kind of cars they were (cars that are racing). To distinguish present participles, look for -ing words describing nouns.
  8. Reading books is a great habit.
    Word: Reading
    Type: Gerund
    Explanation: In this sentence, “Reading” is a gerund because it functions as a noun, representing the activity of “reading” books. It is the subject of the sentence. To recognize gerunds, find -ing words functioning as subjects.
  9. The howling wind kept us awake.
    Word: howling
    Type: Present Participle
    Explanation: “Howling” is a present participle here as it functions as an adjective, describing the wind. It tells us what kind of wind it was (wind that is howling). To identify present participles, look for -ing words modifying nouns.
  10. She enjoys writing creatively.
    Word: writing
    Type: Gerund
    Explanation: In this sentence, “writing” is a gerund because it functions as a noun, representing the activity of “writing” creatively. It is the object of the verb “enjoys,” showing what she enjoys doing. To distinguish gerunds, identify -ing words functioning as objects of verbs.

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