Grammar exercise on using gerunds after prepositions.

Let's solve the practice exercise step by step. The key rule here is:

> If a preposition is followed by a verb, the verb is usually a gerund (verb + -ing).

Additionally, some expressions like "how about," "why not," "plan to," "risk," "pretend," "deserve," "involve," etc., are often followed by gerunds or infinitives, depending on the verb.

We'll go through each sentence and determine the correct form of the verb in brackets.

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✔ Practice A: Complete with the correct form of the verbs in brackets

1. Don’t keep (tease) the dog.
→ *keep doing something* = continue doing it
→ teasing
✔️ Don’t keep teasing the dog.

2. I have learnt how (play) the guitar.
→ *learn how to do something* → infinitive after "how"
→ to play
✔️ I have learnt how to play the guitar.

3. Why (waste) time here? Let’s go home.
→ "Why waste..." is a common structure (imperative)
→ waste (base form)
✔️ Why waste time here?

4. How about (go) to the cinema this weekend?
→ "How about" is followed by a gerund
→ going
✔️ How about going to the cinema this weekend?

5. You risk (catch) cold if you walk in the rain.
→ "risk" is followed by a gerund
→ catching
✔️ You risk catching cold...

6. She pretended (not hear) what I was saying.
→ "pretend" is followed by an infinitive (to do)
→ not to hear
✔️ She pretended not to hear...

7. Do you plan (invest) all your earnings in this project?
→ "plan" is followed by to do
→ to invest
✔️ Do you plan to invest...

8. I don’t understand how (convince) this bullhead.
→ "how to do something" → infinitive
→ to convince
✔️ I don’t understand how to convince...

9. She deserves (get) promoted to the highest post.
→ "deserve" can be followed by to do or doing — but "deserve to be done" is more natural when passive
→ "promoted" is passive → use to be promoted
→ to be promoted
✔️ She deserves to be promoted...

10. Nobody showed me where (put) the poster.
→ "where to put" – this is a common structure: question word + infinitive
→ to put
✔️ Nobody showed me where to put the poster.

11. They threatened (boycott) her class.
→ "threaten" is followed by to do
→ to boycott
✔️ They threatened to boycott her class.

12. You should ask them when (set off) on the journey.
→ "when to set off" – question word + infinitive
→ to set off
✔️ You should ask them when to set off...

13. This work involves (take) lots of risk.
→ "involve" is followed by a gerund
→ taking
✔️ This work involves taking lots of risk.

14. You’d better not put off (do) tomorrow what you can do today.
→ "put off" is followed by a gerund
→ doing
✔️ You’d better not put off doing tomorrow...

15. What is the use of (argue) with a fool?
→ "the use of" is a prepositional phrase → followed by gerund
→ arguing
✔️ What is the use of arguing with a fool?

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✔ Final Answers:

1. teasing
2. to play
3. waste
4. going
5. catching
6. not to hear
7. to invest
8. to convince
9. to be promoted
10. to put
11. to boycott
12. to set off
13. taking
14. doing
15. arguing

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🔍 Summary of Key Rules Used:

- Prepositions → follow with gerund (e.g., *about going*, *of arguing*)
- "How about" → gerund
- "Risk", "involve", "finish", "avoid" → gerund
- "Plan", "promise", "pretend", "threaten" → infinitive
- "Learn how to do", "ask when to do" → infinitive
- "Deserve" → can take to be done (passive)
- "The use of" → preposition → gerund

Let me know if you'd like a printable version or explanation in simpler terms!