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(10-11-2011, 06:51 AM)Leanne Wrote: Although every gerund ends in "ing", not every "ing" word is a gerund.
A gerund is a verb that functions in a sentence as a noun rather than as a present participle acting as verb or adjective. For example:
I am fishing -- fishing is the verb in present tense.
I have a fishing rod -- fishing is a present participle modifying the noun rod
Fishing is a passion of mine -- fishing is the subject of the verb is, therefore it's a noun, so it's a gerund.
More later... but it's a complicated subject and should really be cleared up before the word gets thrown around any more 
It's true that a lot of people use it to refer to the suffix. Robin is a good friend of mine 
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(09-19-2013, 08:51 PM)trueenigma Wrote: (10-11-2011, 06:51 AM)Leanne Wrote: Although every gerund ends in "ing", not every "ing" word is a gerund.
A gerund is a verb that functions in a sentence as a noun rather than as a present participle acting as verb or adjective. For example:
I am fishing -- fishing is the verb in present tense.
I have a fishing rod -- fishing is a present participle modifying the noun rod
Fishing is a passion of mine -- fishing is the subject of the verb is, therefore it's a noun, so it's a gerund.
More later... but it's a complicated subject and should really be cleared up before the word gets thrown around any more
It's true that a lot of people use it to refer to the suffix. Robin is a good friend of mine
Also, in the phrase "I am fishing" the verb is "am", fishing is a participle which is acting as an adjective describing "I"
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Now you're picknitting. The point is, it's not a gerund. The second point is, for most users of the language it's enough to know that sometimes grammar freaks like to argue points that don't make a rat's ball-hair of difference to anyone else 
It could be worse
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(09-20-2013, 03:35 AM)Leanne Wrote: Now you're picknitting. The point is, it's not a gerund. The second point is, for most users of the language it's enough to know that sometimes grammar freaks like to argue points that don't make a rat's ball-hair of difference to anyone else
lol - busted!
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Seriously -- this thread was intended just to stop people accusing other people of gerunding in public when all they were doing was showing a bit of participle. It should never have turned into "I know more about grammar than you do", since that's not the way to teach anyone anything.
It could be worse
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(09-20-2013, 03:51 AM)Leanne Wrote: Seriously -- this thread was intended just to stop people accusing other people of gerunding in public when all they were doing was showing a bit of participle. It should never have turned into "I know more about grammar than you do", since that's not the way to teach anyone anything.
I don't even know how this old thread got resuscitated. 
I do love a good grammar discussion though.
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billy wrote:welcome to the site. make it your own, wear it like a well loved slipper and wear it out. ella pleads:please click forum titles for posting guidelines, important threads. New poet? Try Poetic DevicesandWard's Tips
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billy's always to blame for everything -- this is axiomatic
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My new watercolor: 'Nightmare After Christmas'/Chris
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(09-20-2013, 04:12 AM)ChristopherSea Wrote: (09-20-2013, 04:08 AM)ellajam Wrote: (09-20-2013, 04:03 AM)milo Wrote: I don't even know how this old thread got resuscitated.
I do love a good grammar discussion though.
I'm guilty of the bump, but blame billy for bringing up my -ings.
Everyone on site should know what a gerund is by now! 
just for fun, let's take this new found knowledge and show our distaste for "-ing" words:
APRIL is the cruellest month, it breeds
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixes
Memory and desire, stirs
Dull roots with spring rain.
Winter kept us warm, covered
Earth in forgetful snow, fed
A little life with dried tubers.
taken from Eliot's masterpiece:
APRIL is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
Winter kept us warm, covering
Earth in forgetful snow, feeding
A little life with dried tubers.
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(09-20-2013, 04:15 AM)milo Wrote: (09-20-2013, 04:12 AM)ChristopherSea Wrote: (09-20-2013, 04:08 AM)ellajam Wrote: I'm guilty of the bump, but blame billy for bringing up my -ings.
Everyone on site should know what a gerund is by now!
just for fun, let's take this new found knowledge and show our distaste for "-ing" words:
APRIL is the cruellest month, it breeds
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixes
Memory and desire, stirs
Dull roots with spring rain.
Winter kept us warm, covered
Earth in forgetful snow, fed
A little life with dried tubers.
taken from Eliot's masterpiece:
APRIL is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
Winter kept us warm, covering
Earth in forgetful snow, feeding
A little life with dried tubers.
Well, the bottom one looks like a 'waste land' from all the sawing going on!
My new watercolor: 'Nightmare After Christmas'/Chris
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