Prepositions, Gerunds, and Infinitives - Free Printable

Let's solve the task step by step.

Understanding the Task

The goal is to circle the gerund (or gerunds) in each sentence. A gerund is a verb form ending in -ing that functions as a noun. Gerunds can be subjects, objects, or complements in a sentence.

Examples of gerunds: *swimming*, *laughing*, *singing*, *eating* — all are verbs ending in -ing and being used as nouns.

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Step-by-step Analysis

We’ll go through each sentence and identify the -ing word(s) that act as nouns.

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1. Bowling is one of my favorite sports.
- "Bowling" is the subject of the sentence. It’s a noun here (even though it comes from the verb "bowl").
✔ Gerund: *Bowling*

2. Smiling is a good way to start your day.
- "Smiling" is the subject. It's a noun form of the verb "smile."
✔ Gerund: *Smiling*

3. Mrs. Stevens teaches writing.
- "Writing" is the object of the verb "teaches." It refers to the act of writing, so it's a noun.
✔ Gerund: *writing*

4. My favorite chores are sweeping and mopping.
- "Sweeping" and "mopping" are both nouns (subjects of the verb "are").
✔ Gerunds: *sweeping*, *mopping*

5. Molly won a gold medal in skating.
- "Skating" is a noun here, referring to the sport. It’s the object of the preposition "in."
✔ Gerund: *skating*

6. Sneezing is a sign that you may have a cold.
- "Sneezing" is the subject of the sentence.
✔ Gerund: *Sneezing*

7. Sam loves drawing and painting.
- "Drawing" and "painting" are the objects of the verb "loves." They're activities (nouns).
✔ Gerunds: *drawing*, *painting*

8. Brushing your teeth daily is a good habit.
- "Brushing" is the subject of the sentence.
✔ Gerund: *Brushing*

9. Games that require a lot of thinking are fun.
- "Thinking" is the object of the preposition "of" and refers to the mental activity.
✔ Gerund: *thinking*

10. Mr. Williams likes to finish all the baking before noon.
- Here, "baking" is the object of the preposition "of"? Wait — let's check:
- The phrase is: "all the baking" — "baking" is a noun (like "cooking"), so it's a gerund.
✔ Gerund: *baking*

11. Sometimes working can be as much fun as playing.
- "Working" and "playing" are both subjects of the clause. Both are gerunds.
✔ Gerunds: *working*, *playing*

12. Juggling can be difficult to do.
- "Juggling" is the subject of the sentence.
✔ Gerund: *Juggling*

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✔ Final Answer: Circle the following gerunds in each sentence:

1. Bowling
2. Smiling
3. writing
4. sweeping, mopping
5. skating
6. Sneezing
7. drawing, painting
8. Brushing
9. thinking
10. baking
11. working, playing
12. Juggling

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🔍 Explanation Summary:

- All the underlined words end in -ing.
- In each case, they are not acting as verbs but as nouns (subject, object, complement).
- This is the definition of a gerund: a verb form used as a noun.

✔ These are all correct examples of gerunds in use.

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