detest leave off
shirk disclaim mean stop
discuss mention suggest drop =stop
mind tolerate
encourage miss try
enjoy necessitate understand
entail pardon urge
escape postpone withhold
evade practice
These verbs can also have subjects that do not designate human beings. These verbs usually have subjects that denote lifeless things.
Frank, 1972:323 and Azar, 1989:168 I have put off telling you the whole truth till now.
I enjoy reading the newspaper every morning. They miss being with their family.
Would you mind helping me with this?
2.2.4 Gerunds as Subjective Complements
Since gerunds can be used as nouns, they can serve as subjective complements as well. In the following sentences, the gerundive phrases that function
as complements are equivalent to the subject: His favorite sport is bicycle riding.
Tommy’s hobby is collecting stamps. What we want is making a study club.
Simon’s need was knowing that someone cared.
2.2.5 Gerunds as Objects of Preposition
Any verb used as the object in prepositional phrases takes the form of a gerund. Most gerundive phrases after prepositions function as subjects, especially
those in adverbial prepositional phrases. We talked about going to Bali for our vacation.
Ali goes on speaking in the class. I’m interested in learning more about your work.
They are fond of climbing mountains. A number of phrasal verbs and objects of prepositions that take the form of a gerund:
accuse of believe in
consist of afraid of
blow out content with
aim at call for
depend on angry with at
call on deprive of
arrive at in carry out
different from ashamed of
clean out disapprove of
ask for composed of
find out bear out
congratulate on fond of
full of jealous of
speak of
give up keen on
succeed in good at keep on
superior to go on
leave off sure of
independent of look at
talk to indifferent to
related to talk about
interested in similar to
translate to The word ‘to’ after the following verbs is a preposition rather than the signs of the
infinitive and therefore requires a gerund after it. accustom oneself
plead guilty allude reconcile
guilty confess resign
oneself confine oneself
resort dedicate oneself
revert limit oneself
take look forward
used object
Frank, 1972:325
2.2.6 Gerunds Used in the Negative Adjective ‘No’
The negative adjective no is used of the adverb not with certain types of gerundive phrases.
1 After there + a form of be
There is no stopping him.
There is no denying that she is very efficient. Frank, 1972:321 2
Prohibition against certain activities No smoking is allowed in this classroom.
No trespassing on these premises will be permitted. No cheating in the test The supervisor instructs. Frank, 1972:321
2.2.7 Gerunds Used after Possessive
