Sentence Diagramming: Flashcard 14

A gerund is a verbal noun; that is, it is both a noun and a verb. As a noun, it can function as other nouns function, i.e., as the subject of a sentence, as a direct object, as a predicate nominative, etc. As a verb, it can, if it is a linking verb, be followed by a predicate nominative or a predicate adjective; it can, if it is transitive, take a direct object; and it can, if it is a verb of saying, giving, or showing, take an indirect object. As a noun, it can be modified by adjectives and by words functioning as adjectives (nouns, prepositional phrases, etc.) . As a verb, it can be modified by adverbs and by words functioning as adverbs (adverbial objectives, prepositional phrases, etc.). Like infinitives, gerunds have tense, and (in the case of transitive gerunds) voice, but not person and number. If a verb is intransitive (a verb that does not transfer action to an object), it has only two gerund forms. For example, the verb be has only the present and present-perfect gerunds being and having been.* Transitive verbs have two active forms and two corresponding passive forms. The verb to see, a transitive verb, has a present active gerund (seeing) and a present passive gerund (being seen) as well as a present-perfect active gerund (having seen) and a present-perfect passive gerund (having been seen). A gerund with its complements, objects, and modifiers constitutes a gerund phrase. Gerund phrases can, like simple gerunds, function as subjects, predicate nominatives, appositives, direct objects, objects of prepositions, objective complements, and adverbial objectives.

A gerund or a gerund phrase, when used without a modifier, sometimes needs a subject. Consider these two sentences:

"Before the playing of the National Anthem, the crowd stood up." The gerund playing is modified by the and does not need a subject.

"Before playing the National Anthem, the crowd stood up." The unmodified gerund playing needs a subject and finds it in crowd, resulting in nonsense.** 

As you make your way through these flashcards, you may wish to refer to a section of my website that deals with terminology, www.german-latin-english.com/diagrammingterms.htm. 
On the right is a diagram of the sentence "Writing a novel is telling a long story without becoming hoarse." The sentence contains three gerund phrases. The gerund phrase writing a novel functions as the subject of the sentence; the gerund phrase telling a long story without becoming hoarse functions as a predicate nominative; and the gerund phrase becoming hoarse functions as the object of the preposition without.  Most gerunds and gerund phrases are placed on pedestals. It is not necessary to use a pedestal when the gerund or gerund phrase is the object of a preposition. Adverbial modifiers of gerunds (such as without becoming hoarse in this sentence) are attached to the lower horizontal line of the gerund structure. Adjectival modifiers of gerunds (this diagram has none) are attached to the upper horizontal line. Flashcard 15: participles.

*  These two gerunds could be used in a sentence like Being in love is better than having been in love.

** The gerund needs the subject band (Before playing the National Anthem, the band marched to the center of the field.)

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