What are gerund and participle?
First of all, we should know them conceptually. When the verb ing acts as a noun, it is called a gerund; When used as an adjective, it is called the present participle. Secondly, we should distinguish whether the verb -ing is a gerund or a present participle from its usage.
1. The verb -ing is a gerund when it is the subject, but now the participle cannot be the subject.
1. Gerund is used as the subject (in the example, the italicized part is the subject. )
It is easier to read French than to speak it. It is easier to read French than to speak it.
Talking to him is talking to a wall. Talking to him is like casting pearls before swine.
Smoking can cause cancer. Smoking can cause cancer.
Growing roses is her hobby.
Sometimes it is a formal subject, and the gerund subject is placed after the sentence (the italicized part is the subject in the example). )。
Nice to see you again. Nice to see you again.
Driving from morning till night is very tiring. Driving from morning till night is very tiring.
It's a miracle to meet you here. It's a miracle to meet you here.
Reading that book is a waste of time. Reading that book is a waste of time.
"You+No" can be followed by a gerund.
I wonder what he can do. It's hard to say what he can do.
There is no reason to argue with her. There is no way to argue with her.
Second, when the verb -ing is used as the object, it is a gerund, and now the participle cannot be used as the object.
1. There are many verbs that can be used as objects with gerunds.
I suggest ending the meeting. I suggest ending the meeting.
So you prefer to live abroad? So you prefer to live abroad?
He kept complaining. He has been complaining.
I finished reading this book last night. I finished reading this book last night.
2. There are many verbs with prepositions and fixed nouns as objects.
He has given up playing football. He doesn't play football now.
Prices continue to rise. Prices continue to rise.
When the verb -ing is used as an adverbial, it is a present participle, and the gerund cannot be used as an adverbial.
The present participle and its phrases can be used as adverbials from the ideographic point of view, indicating time, reason, result, condition, concession, way or accompanying situation. Its action can occur before or after the predicate, or it can occur at the same time as the action of the predicate verb.
Climbing to the top of the tower, we saw a magnificent view.
After we climbed to the top of the tower, we saw a magnificent view. (Table time)
Living in the country, we seldom have social activities.
Living in the country, we have little chance to communicate. (Table reason)
A person standing in the center of a wider crater will not see the crater wall.
If a person stands in the middle of a wider crater, he can't see the crater wall. (Form conditions)
Knowing all this, they asked me to pay for the loss.
Although they know all this, they still want me to pay for the loss. (Table discount)
The child fell, hit his head on the door and cut himself.
The child fell, hit his head on the door and broke it. (Table results)
He stood against the wall. He stood against the wall. (Form or attached information)
Both gerund and present participle can be used as predicative. When the verb -ing is a noun, the verb -ing is a gerund. When the verb ing is an adjective, the verb ing is a present participle.
1. Gerund used as predicative.
Her hobby is painting. Her hobby is painting.
Her job is herding sheep. Her job is herding sheep.
The most important thing is to get there in time. The first thing is to get there in time.
2. The present participle is used as a predicative.
The news is encouraging. The news is encouraging.
This story is very interesting. This story is very interesting.
This day is so charming. The weather is really nice.
This difference is the most significant. The difference is obvious.
Both gerund and present participle can be used as attributes.
The present participle indicates the action of the noun it modifies, or it can be said that the present participle has a subject-predicate relationship with the noun it modifies logically. Gerund represents the nature of the noun it modifies, and there is no subject-predicate relationship between them logically.
1. Gerund is used as an attribute to indicate the nature, use or function of gerund.
Swimming pool swimming pool drinking water
Swimming suit bathing suit waiting room waiting room
Sleeping bag sleeping bag parking lot parking lot
Sleeping pills, sleeping pills, parking meter, parking time
Desk desk sewing machine sewing machine
Writing paper stationery operating table operating room
Diving suit diving suit reading room
Springboard threshing floor threshing floor
Washing machine washing machine boxing match boxing match
Washing powder speech contest
Drawing board Drawing board checking account current account
Banking system banking system
Fishing rod fishing line fishing line 2.
profit shrinkage
Emerging towns among emerging towns
More and more doubts
Growing demand
The existing situation, the existing situation.
Declining returns
The rest of the days, the rest of the years
Popular fashion popular fashion
A shining example, a shining example
Lasting peace, lasting peace
A meteor
Major newspapers
developing country
ruling class
Biology is biology.
Population aging, population aging
The rising generation is the growing generation.
A glorious victory
Both gerund and present participle can be used as complements, but when present participle is used as object complement, it forms a compound object with the previous object.
Verbs with this compound object are mostly verbs expressing feelings, such as smelling, observing, watching, paying attention, watching and listening. In addition, some causative verbs such as have, set, get, catch, keep, leave and leave can be followed by compound objects with present participles. Also, the present participle can sometimes be preceded by as as an object complement, and the verbs in front are mostly concert, considerer, describe, quote, picture, see, think of, etc. The present participle is used as the subject complement, mostly in the passive structure, and forms a compound subject with the subject. When gerund is used as complement, the corresponding verb does not have these rules.
1. Gerund used as complement
I call it robbing Peter to pay Paul. I call it robbing Peter to pay Paul. (Grab is the object complement)
This is called turning right from wrong. This is called turning right from wrong. (The turning point is the subject complement)
2. The present participle is used as a complement
We found him waiting to receive us. We found him waiting to welcome us.
We kept the fire burning. We keep the fire burning.
They think the young man has enterprise and drive. They said that the young man was willing to work actively.
He was seen to go upstairs. He was seen to go upstairs.
Above, we distinguish gerund and present participle from the function of verb -ing in sentence components: as subject, object, adverbial, predicative, attributive and complement. I hope this analysis will be helpful to English learners.