25. Gerund and other -ing forms.

The G/The verbal noun

The Verbal noun – unlike the gerund – shows no grammatical verbal features. Verbal noun have plural forms. When they denote lifeless things, they can combine with numerals or words of quantity. Verbal nouns take articles. Verbal nouns can be modified by 1)of-phrase attributes and 2)adjectival attributes.

The Gerund developed from the verbal noun that became verbalized in the course of time.

*Gerunds have some morphological characteristics of verbs. (voice distinctions and a relative time reference expressed through the category of time correlation).

*Gerunds can be modified by adverbials. Verbal noun- by attributes.

*Gerunds of transitive verbs can take direct objects.

The G/Participle I

Unlike P I, the G has nominal characteristics.

*G can be preceded by prepositions

*G can be modified by nouns in the possessive case or possessive pronouns

*G can function as subjects and objects.

G and p I as attributes.

G – show a person's occupation or what an object is intended for.

P – denote the action of the modified nouns

Still, there are cases that can be interpreted in either way. The context makes the meaning clear

-a hunting dog – a dog for hunting OR a dog that hunts.

Like participles, gerunds as postmodifiers are preceded by prepositions.

G and P I as predicatives

A gerund – the action of the subject, its state or identity. A participle – gives the subject a qualitative assessment.

G and P I as adverbials.

G always take prepositions.

P – either used independently or preceded by conjunctions.

Some adverbials may be confusing to a Rissian-speaking learner of English.

In Russian a negative phrase 'НЕ+ деепричастие' shows either condition or reason.

In English WITHOUT+ gerund describes condition. To give reasons we employ NOT+ participle.

Both gerunds and participles can be used as adverbials of manner and attendant circumstances.