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What Are Gerunds and What Are They Good For?
Gerunds (verbal nouns) are formed, like present participles, by adding -ing to the end of a verb. They can be used anywhere a noun can be used; e.g., as subject or object of a verb or as object of a preposition. Directions: Convert the first sentence or sentences into gerunds and insert where the large "THIS" appears is the final sentence.
EXAMPLE: Someone sees. Someone believes. THIS is THIS. REWRITE: Seeing is believing.
Someone shoplifts. This has become a serious problem in the malls.
Selma cries. Selma deals with loneliness by THIS.
Now try these more complicated sentences.
Example: Maribeth reads fortunes for a living. THIS barely keeps Maribeth off welfare. Rewrite: Reading fortunes for a living barely keeps Maribeth off welfare.
You lift weights every day. THIS has improved your looks.
You proofread your paper. Be sure to leave some time for THIS.
Till now, when making a gerund of the minor sentence's verb you just deleted its subject. The subject was unnecessary because clearly implied in the major sentence. When it is not implied, change it into a possessive noun or pronoun modifying the gerund.
Method: Find the verb of the first sentence. Change it to a gerund by adding -ing to its root. Change its subject to the possessive case. Insert the resulting phrase where you see "THIS."
Andre cooks. THIS makes every supper party at Aunt Lydia's a triumph.
Her students write. Miss Campbell talks a lot about THIS.
Dad was too poor to afford a water heater. THIS depressed Mother.
The children watch so much television. I worry about THIS.
A very popular way of opening a sentence is a prepositional phrase with a gerund object:
By saving for his child's college education from the time of her birth, Rob hopes to avoid debt later in life.
The opening "By Rob saving . . ." is not standard, and this lesson is meant to discourage it and to encourage the standard form. Combine the sentences as before.
Odysseus filled his crew's ears with wax. By THIS, Odysseus avoided a shipwreck on the Sirens' island.
Mrs. Murphy added carrot fiber to the muffins. By THIS, Mrs. Murphy improved her family's diet without their knowledge.