How to Use -ING Words (Gerunds & Infinitives) - English Grammar Lesson

Stop being confused! In this English grammar lesson, we’re going to cover everything you need to know to confidently use -ing words. -ing words are used as verbs in continuous verb tenses. Examples: 1. I am traveling. (Present continuous) 2. I was traveling. (Past continuous) 3. I will be traveling. (Future continuous) -ing words can also be used as adjectives. Examples: 1. traveling salesperson 2. crying baby 3. rising sun -ing words can be used as nouns. These are called gerunds. It can be difficult to know whether you need a gerund or the infinitive form a verb (for example, “to be” or “to go”). Here is a list of the rules: 1. Gerunds are almost always the subject of the sentence. (Example: Running is a healthy activity.) 2. But when giving instructions, the infinitive should be used. (Example: To bake the fish, place it in the oven for 20 minutes.) 3. Use the infinitive when you could have “In order to”. (Example: In order to get a high score on the test, you have to study a lot. ⇒ To get a high score on the test, you have to study a lot.). 4. Gerunds come after prepositions. (Example: By working hard, you can accomplish your goals.) 5. Gerunds are used when talking about activities using “to go”. (Example: He likes to go biking on the weekends.) There are 4 categories of verbs that have specific rules about whether you need a gerund or the infinitive. 1. Verbs always followed by a gerund. 2. Verbs always followed by an infinitive. 3. Verbs that can be followed by a gerund or an infinitive with no change in meaning. 4. Verbs that can be followed by a gerund or an infinitive with a change ****in meaning. Finally, there are certain adjectives that require the infinitive that you need to learn as well. We cover all those verbs and adjectives in the lesson! 💪 Practice more with our free grammar exercises: https://duolingo.goarno.io/grammar/se... 🗄️ Access a PDF of the slides used in this lesson: https://r2.goarno.io/youtube/When%20t... Arno is the #1 DET practice platform! Trusted by over 200,000 students in over 200 countries 🌏 We give you unlimited practice questions for every question type for FREE! We also offer feedback on writing and speaking questions and full mock tests with estimated subscores. Just go to https://goarno.io to create your free account. Watch this next:    • Countable v. Uncountable Nouns - Essential...   For more resources to help you get ready for the test, also check out our blog: https://goarno.io/blog