Underline the gerunds and participles in the following sentences. Write 'G' for gerunds and 'P' for participles in the space provided.
Dancing is a great way to express emotions.
Dancing (G) - 'Dancing' is a gerund because it functions as the subject of the sentence.
Travelling can broaden your perspective.
Travelling (G) - 'Travelling' is a gerund because it functions as the subject of the sentence.
The falling leaves signalled the arrival of autumn.
falling (P) - 'falling' is a present participle because it modifies the noun 'leaves'.
She enjoys cooking new recipes for her family.
cooking (G) - 'cooking' is a gerund because it functions as the object of the verb 'enjoys'.
Reading helps improve your vocabulary.
Reading (G) - 'Reading' is a gerund because it functions as the subject of the sentence.
He watched the shimmering stars in the night sky.
shimmering (P) - 'shimmering' is a present participle because it modifies the noun 'stars'.
Forgetting the keys inside, Kanchan locked the door.
Forgetting (P) - 'Forgetting' is a present participle that introduces a participial phrase describing Kanchan's action.
Explanation
(1) The example shows that 'Dancing' is a gerund (G) because it functions as the subject of the sentence, acting as a noun. (2) 'Travelling' functions as the subject of the sentence, making it a gerund. It acts as a noun. (3) 'Falling' is a present participle (P) because it describes the leaves—it modifies the noun 'leaves' and describes an ongoing action. (4) 'Cooking' is a gerund (G) because it functions as the object of the verb 'enjoys.' It answers 'what does she enjoy?' (5) 'Reading' is a gerund (G) because it functions as the subject of the sentence, acting as a noun. (6) 'Shimmering' is a present participle (P) because it modifies the noun 'stars,' describing their appearance. (7) 'Forgetting' is a present participle (P) because it introduces a participial phrase that describes what Kanchan did before locking the door. It modifies the subject 'Kanchan.'