Gerund Exercises worksheet for English language learners, including sentence completion and bracket exercises with gerund forms.

Let's solve the Gerund Exercises worksheet step by step. The gerund is the -ing form of a verb used as a noun. It often follows certain verbs, prepositions, or expressions.

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I. Complete the sentences with one suitable word using the Gerund

We are given these words to choose from:
paint, check, clean, wash, sweep, water, cut, wind, feed

1. This shirt is quite clean; it doesn't want washing yet.
→ "want washing" = needs to be washed (passive sense)

2. The grass in the garden is quite dry; it wants cutting badly.
→ "wants cutting" = needs to be cut

3. The baby’s crying; I think he needs feeding.
→ "needs feeding" = requires being fed

4. The house is old and colorless; it badly wants painting.
→ "wants painting" = needs to be painted

5. The windows are filthy; they need cleaning.
→ "need cleaning" = require being cleaned

6. I know my hair needs cutting, but never have time to go to the hairdresser’s.
→ "needs cutting" = requires being cut

7. The floor is covered with dust; it needs sweeping.
→ "needs sweeping" = must be swept

8. My watch keeps being slow; it requires winding.
→ "requires winding" = needs to be wound

9. The report has a lot of misprints; it requires checking.
→ "requires checking" = needs to be checked

✔ Section I Answers:
1. washing
2. cutting
3. feeding
4. painting
5. cleaning
6. cutting
7. sweeping
8. winding
9. checking

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II. Open the brackets using the correct form of the Gerund

Now we use the correct gerund (-ing) form after verbs/prepositions that require it.

1. He remembered crossing the road, but he didn’t remember being knocked down.
→ “remember doing” = recall an action; “didn’t remember being knocked” = passive experience

2. I am still hungry in spite of having eaten four sandwiches.
→ “in spite of” + gerund → “having eaten” shows completed action

3. He got into the house by climbing through the window, without being seen by anyone.
→ “by climbing” = method; “without being seen” = passive, avoided detection

4. He woke up at dawn in spite of having worked late.
→ “in spite of having worked” = despite working late (completed action)

5. He complained of being given a very small baby room at the back of the hotel.
→ “complained of being given” = passive – he was assigned a small room

6. The little girl isn’t afraid of dogs in spite of having been bitten twice.
→ “in spite of having been bitten” = even though she was bitten before

7. The baby went to sleep a few minutes after being fed.
→ “after being fed” = passive – after someone fed her

8. The child never gets tired of asking his mother freaky questions, but the mother often gets tired of being asked them.
→ “gets tired of asking” = he enjoys asking; “gets tired of being asked” = she dislikes being questioned

9. Mary was chosen to fill the opening. She was very pleased at being chosen.
→ “pleased at being chosen” = happy about the selection (passive)

10. I always treat people with respect and I insist on being treated the same way.
→ “insist on being treated” = demand respectful treatment

11. The boy was very thirsty in spite of having drunk a lot of water.
→ “in spite of having drunk” = even though he drank water (past action)

12. He was extremely grateful for being offered help in this challenging situation.
→ “grateful for being offered” = thankful that help was given to him

13. The old man couldn’t stand being told what to do.
→ “couldn’t stand being told” = unable to tolerate orders

14. Jane Eyre remembered being locked up in the basement for contradicting Mrs. Reed.
→ “remembered being locked” = past passive experience; “for contradicting” = reason (active)

15. Why do you avoid speaking to me?
→ “avoid speaking” = refrain from talking

16. She tried to avoid speaking to him.
→ “avoid speaking” = purposefully not talk

17. He showed no sign of recognizing her and she showed no sign of being surprised by it.
→ “no sign of recognizing” = didn’t acknowledge; “no sign of being surprised” = didn’t react

18. After looking through and marking the students’ papers, the teacher handed them back.
→ “after looking through and marking” = two actions done sequentially

19. After having looked through and having marked the papers were handed back to the students.
→ This sentence is awkward. Better: “After having looked through and having marked the papers, the teacher handed them back.”
But if it's written as: “After ____, the papers were handed back,” then:
→ having looked through and having marked
→ Both gerunds in perfect form because the actions occurred *before* handing back

20. You never mentioned having been to Greece.
→ “mentioned having been” = talked about your visit (past experience)

21. I don’t remember being asked this question by anybody.
→ “don’t remember being asked” = no recollection of being questioned

22. The cat was afraid of being punished for breaking the vase and hid itself under the couch.
→ “afraid of being punished” = fear of consequence; “for breaking” = cause of punishment

23. The girls were busy packing when one of them suddenly remembered leaving the milk on the stove which was probably boiling over.
→ “busy packing” = engaged in packing; “remembered leaving” = recalled forgetting to take off the milk

24. He hates talking in public, because each time he does, he can’t help displeasing people, though he tries hard to avoid laughing at.
→ “hates talking” = dislikes speaking; “can’t help displeasing” = unintentionally causes annoyance; “avoid laughing at” → wait — this is incorrect grammar.

Actually:
→ “he can’t help displeasing people” ✔
→ “though he tries hard to avoid being laughed at” ✔
→ So the last part should be: being laughed at
(Because he doesn’t want people to laugh *at him*)

25. He was proud of being chosen to represent the university sports team at the forthcoming competition.
→ “proud of being chosen” = honored to be selected

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✔ Final Answers for Section II:

1. being knocked down
2. having eaten
3. climbing, being seen
4. having worked
5. being given
6. having been bitten
7. being fed
8. asking, being asked
9. being chosen
10. being treated
11. having drunk
12. being offered
13. being told
14. being locked, contradicting
15. speaking
16. speaking
17. recognizing, being surprised
18. looking through, marking
19. having looked through, having marked
20. having been
21. being asked
22. being punished, breaking
23. packing, leaving
24. talking, displeasing, being laughed at
25. being chosen

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🔍 Explanation Summary:

- Gerunds (-ing forms) are used after:
- Verbs like *enjoy, avoid, suggest, mind, finish, consider, etc.*
- Prepositions: *in, at, of, for, about, after, before, since, etc.*
- Expressions: *be afraid of, be fond of, be tired of, be proud of, etc.*

- Perfect gerunds (*having + past participle*) are used when the action happened before the main verb.
- e.g., *I’m sorry for having arrived late.*

- Passive gerunds (*being + past participle*) are used when the subject is the receiver of the action.
- e.g., *He avoids being seen.* (He doesn’t want others to see him.)

- Common mistakes:
- Avoid using infinitives where gerunds are required.
- Watch for passive vs. active meaning.

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