Gerunds & Participles
Learn the difference between gerunds (noun-like -ing verbs) and participles (adjective-like -ing or -ed verbs) using the job test to identify what role each plays in a sentence.
What you'll do in this lesson
A voice-first session with the Crimsora tutor on Gerunds & Participles, then targeted practice and FRQs — with the tutor adapting to where you get stuck.
What this lesson covers
English has a clever trick: verbs can masquerade as other parts of speech. When you see a word ending in -ing or -ed, it might not be a verb at all. In this lesson you will learn to spot gerunds, which act like nouns, and participles, which act like adjectives. The key to telling them apart is simple: figure out what job the word is doing in the sentence. That one skill will unlock your ability to analyze these tricky forms and use them correctly in your own writing.
What Are Gerunds?
A gerund is an -ing form of a verb that does the job of a noun in a sentence. Instead of naming a person, place, or thing, it names an action or activity as if that action were a thing itself.
For example, in the sentence "Swimming is my favorite activity," the word swimming is a gerund. It is the subject of the verb is. No noun phrase could replace it more naturally than an activity noun: exercise is my favorite activity or yoga is my favorite activity. The gerund swimming fills a noun slot.
Here are other noun jobs a gerund can do: object of a preposition ("I dream about hiking"), direct object ("She enjoys gardening"), or object of a preposition in a prepositional phrase ("Before starting the engine, check the gauges"). In every case, the gerund—the -ing form—is functioning as a noun, not as a verb. This is why gerunds can follow possessive pronouns and other noun markers that would be wrong with a true verb form.
For example, in the sentence "Swimming is my favorite activity," the word swimming is a gerund. It is the subject of the verb is. No noun phrase could replace it more naturally than an activity noun: exercise is my favorite activity or yoga is my favorite activity. The gerund swimming fills a noun slot.
Here are other noun jobs a gerund can do: object of a preposition ("I dream about hiking"), direct object ("She enjoys gardening"), or object of a preposition in a prepositional phrase ("Before starting the engine, check the gauges"). In every case, the gerund—the -ing form—is functioning as a noun, not as a verb. This is why gerunds can follow possessive pronouns and other noun markers that would be wrong with a true verb form.
What Are Participles?
A participle is an -ing or -ed form of a verb that does the job of an adjective in a sentence. Instead of describing a person, place, or thing by its category, a participle describes it by an action or state—something the noun is or has undergone.
For example, in "the broken window," broken is a participle (past participle form) acting as an adjective. It describes which window: the one that has been broken. You could replace it with another adjective: "the shattered window" or "the damaged window." The participle modifies the noun window.
Similarly, in "the rattling pipes," rattling is a present participle working as an adjective. It modifies pipes by describing their current condition or action. Participles can also appear in predicates after linking verbs ("The door sounded creaking") or as participial phrases that add descriptive detail ("Running late, she grabbed her coat"). The key is that they always describe, modify, or add detail to a noun or pronoun.
For example, in "the broken window," broken is a participle (past participle form) acting as an adjective. It describes which window: the one that has been broken. You could replace it with another adjective: "the shattered window" or "the damaged window." The participle modifies the noun window.
Similarly, in "the rattling pipes," rattling is a present participle working as an adjective. It modifies pipes by describing their current condition or action. Participles can also appear in predicates after linking verbs ("The door sounded creaking") or as participial phrases that add descriptive detail ("Running late, she grabbed her coat"). The key is that they always describe, modify, or add detail to a noun or pronoun.
The Job Test: How to Tell Them Apart
To decide whether an -ing or -ed word is a gerund or a participle, ask yourself: What job is this word doing in the sentence? Does it act like a noun, or does it act like an adjective?
Here is the test in action:
Sentence 1: "The squeaking door needs oil."
What job does squeaking do? It modifies door. It answers "which door?" That is an adjective's job. This is a participle.
Sentence 2: "The squeaking was annoying."
What job does squeaking do? It is the subject of was. It names the activity. That is a noun's job. This is a gerund.
Sentence 3: "The broken vase sat on the shelf."
What job does broken do? It modifies vase. That is an adjective's job. This is a participle.
Sentence 4: "Breaking vases was not the plan."
What job does breaking do? It is the subject of was. That is a noun's job. This is a gerund.
Remember: the same -ing or -ed form can be a gerund in one sentence and a participle in another. Context and function are everything.
Here is the test in action:
Sentence 1: "The squeaking door needs oil."
What job does squeaking do? It modifies door. It answers "which door?" That is an adjective's job. This is a participle.
Sentence 2: "The squeaking was annoying."
What job does squeaking do? It is the subject of was. It names the activity. That is a noun's job. This is a gerund.
Sentence 3: "The broken vase sat on the shelf."
What job does broken do? It modifies vase. That is an adjective's job. This is a participle.
Sentence 4: "Breaking vases was not the plan."
What job does breaking do? It is the subject of was. That is a noun's job. This is a gerund.
Remember: the same -ing or -ed form can be a gerund in one sentence and a participle in another. Context and function are everything.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
One major confusion arises when students mistake a gerund for a verb. This happens because gerunds end in -ing, like progressive verb forms ("She is running"). The difference: a gerund is the noun; a progressive verb uses a verb form as part of the verb phrase.
Example of confusion: "Running is exhausting." Here, running (gerund) is the subject, and is exhausting is the verb phrase. Do not mistake is as the main action: the action named by the gerund is running.
Another common slip: forgetting that a participle must modify a noun. If there is no nearby noun for a participle to modify, the participle "floats" and the sentence becomes unclear or awkward. This is a dangling participle: "Rushing to class, the homework was forgotten." Who was rushing? The homework was not rushing. Participles need a clear noun to attach to: "Rushing to class, Maya forgot her homework."
Also, do not confuse participial phrases with gerund phrases. A gerund phrase (with gerund as the head) acts as a noun: "Finishing the project on time was important." A participial phrase (with participle as the head) acts as an adjective: "Finishing the project on time, we felt proud." The phrase's job depends on its head word's job.
Example of confusion: "Running is exhausting." Here, running (gerund) is the subject, and is exhausting is the verb phrase. Do not mistake is as the main action: the action named by the gerund is running.
Another common slip: forgetting that a participle must modify a noun. If there is no nearby noun for a participle to modify, the participle "floats" and the sentence becomes unclear or awkward. This is a dangling participle: "Rushing to class, the homework was forgotten." Who was rushing? The homework was not rushing. Participles need a clear noun to attach to: "Rushing to class, Maya forgot her homework."
Also, do not confuse participial phrases with gerund phrases. A gerund phrase (with gerund as the head) acts as a noun: "Finishing the project on time was important." A participial phrase (with participle as the head) acts as an adjective: "Finishing the project on time, we felt proud." The phrase's job depends on its head word's job.
Why This Matters for Your Writing
Understanding gerunds and participles gives you more control and variety in your sentences. Gerunds let you treat actions as objects of thought ("Fear of failing paralyzed him") and let you write more fluently by reducing repetitive simple sentences into noun phrases. Participles let you add vivid detail and create economy—"The dog, wagging its tail furiously, bounded toward us" does more work than "The dog was wagging its tail. It was furious. It bounded toward us."
When you revise your own writing, spotting gerunds and participles helps you check for clarity. Are your participles clearly attached to the nouns they modify? Are your gerunds in the right noun slots? Can you combine sentences using participles or gerunds to make your prose flow better? These forms are tools. Master them, and your writing becomes more mature, precise, and interesting.
When you revise your own writing, spotting gerunds and participles helps you check for clarity. Are your participles clearly attached to the nouns they modify? Are your gerunds in the right noun slots? Can you combine sentences using participles or gerunds to make your prose flow better? These forms are tools. Master them, and your writing becomes more mature, precise, and interesting.
Key terms
- Gerund.
- An -ing form of a verb that functions as a noun in a sentence, naming an action or activity as though it were a thing; example: "singing" in "Singing brings me joy."
- Participle.
- An -ing or -ed form of a verb that functions as an adjective, modifying or describing a noun; example: "broken" in "the broken guitar" or "running" in "the running water."
- Present participle.
- The -ing form of a verb used as an adjective to describe a noun in action or condition; example: "the melting snow."
- Past participle.
- The -ed or irregular past form of a verb used as an adjective to describe a noun that has undergone an action or state; example: "the stolen bicycle."
- Job test.
- A method of identifying gerunds and participles by asking what grammatical role the -ing or -ed form plays: noun role = gerund; adjective role = participle.
- Participial phrase.
- A phrase built around a participle that modifies a noun; example: "Tired from the hike, we sat down to rest."
- Dangling participle.
- A participle or participial phrase that does not clearly modify any noun in the sentence, causing confusion; example: "Rushing to class, the homework was forgotten."
Worked example
Read the sentence below and identify whether each -ing word is a gerund or a participle. Explain your answer using the job test.
"Running through the park, Maya enjoyed watching the birds while her tired legs carried her forward."
"Running through the park, Maya enjoyed watching the birds while her tired legs carried her forward."
Let's apply the job test to each -ing or -ed form:
Word 1: Running
Where is running? It appears at the start: "Running through the park..." Is it the subject of a verb? No. Is it modifying a noun? Yes—it modifies Maya. It describes what Maya was doing as she walked. This is an adjective's job. Running is a participle (present participle in a participial phrase).
Word 2: Watching
Where is watching? It appears after the verb enjoyed: "enjoyed watching the birds." What is its job? Watching is the direct object of the verb enjoyed—it names the action that Maya enjoyed. That is a noun's job. Watching is a gerund.
Word 3: Tired
Where is tired? It appears before legs: "her tired legs." What is its job? Tired modifies legs. It describes the condition of the legs. That is an adjective's job. Tired is a participle (past participle used as an adjective).
Summary: The same -ing ending can play different roles. The job test shows that running and tired describe nouns (adjective job = participles), while watching names an activity that Maya did (noun job = gerund). Context is everything.
Word 1: Running
Where is running? It appears at the start: "Running through the park..." Is it the subject of a verb? No. Is it modifying a noun? Yes—it modifies Maya. It describes what Maya was doing as she walked. This is an adjective's job. Running is a participle (present participle in a participial phrase).
Word 2: Watching
Where is watching? It appears after the verb enjoyed: "enjoyed watching the birds." What is its job? Watching is the direct object of the verb enjoyed—it names the action that Maya enjoyed. That is a noun's job. Watching is a gerund.
Word 3: Tired
Where is tired? It appears before legs: "her tired legs." What is its job? Tired modifies legs. It describes the condition of the legs. That is an adjective's job. Tired is a participle (past participle used as an adjective).
Summary: The same -ing ending can play different roles. The job test shows that running and tired describe nouns (adjective job = participles), while watching names an activity that Maya did (noun job = gerund). Context is everything.
Practice questions
In the sentence "The howling wind rattled the shutters all night," what is the job of the word "howling"?
- It is the subject of the verb "rattled"
- It modifies the noun "wind" and describes its action
- It is the direct object of the verb "rattled"
- It is the main verb of the sentence
Answer: It modifies the noun "wind" and describes its action
The word "howling" comes right before "wind" and tells us what kind of wind—the wind that is howling. That is an adjective's job, so "howling" is a participle (present participle) modifying the noun "wind." It is not the subject (the wind is the subject), not the direct object (the shutters are what rattled), and not the main verb.
Identify the gerund in this sentence and explain why it is a gerund, not a participle: "Before leaving the house, always check the locks."
Answer: The gerund is "leaving."
"Leaving" is the object of the preposition "before." It names the action (departing from the house) as a thing or concept. This is a noun's job. We can test it: "Before departure, always check the locks"—we can substitute a regular noun (departure) in its place. A participle would modify a noun and answer "which one?" but "leaving" does neither; it is the noun in a prepositional phrase. Therefore, it is a gerund, not a participle.
Rewrite the pair of sentences below into one sentence using a participle or participial phrase. Then explain why you chose that form over a gerund.
Sentence A: "The snow melted quickly in the spring sun."
Sentence B: "It created small streams in the yard."
Answer: Possible answer: "The melting snow created small streams in the yard." OR "Melting quickly in the spring sun, the snow created small streams in the yard."
Both rewrites use a participle (melting) to modify the noun "snow" and reduce two separate sentences into one. You cannot use a gerund here because a gerund would name an action as a noun ("The melting was rapid"), not describe the snow itself. The participle does the better job of combining ideas and adding descriptive detail to the noun that performs the action. A participial phrase is more flexible—it can go at the beginning or middle of the sentence—while a simple participle must sit right before the noun it modifies.
FAQ
- Can the same word be a gerund in one sentence and a participle in another?
- Yes. The word "running" is a gerund in "Running a marathon takes dedication" (it is the subject, a noun's job), but it is a participle in "The running athlete breathed hard" (it modifies "athlete," an adjective's job). The form is the same, but the job changes. Always use the job test to figure out what role it plays in that specific sentence.
- How do I know if a participle is a participle and not just a regular adjective?
- Participles come from verbs, so they often describe action or a state that resulted from action. Compare the participle "broken" (from the verb "break") in "the broken window" with the pure adjective "blue" in "the blue window." Both modify "window," but "broken" tells us what action happened to the window, while "blue" only names a color. Participles can often be turned back into a verb: "the window that was broken" or "the window that broke." Pure adjectives cannot: you would never say "the window that is blue" the same way. However, for grammar purposes, they are both adjectives—they both modify nouns.
- What is a dangling participle, and why is it a problem?
- A dangling participle is a participle or participial phrase that appears in a sentence with no clear noun to modify. Example: "Waiting for the bus, the rain started." The rain was not waiting for the bus—the participle "waiting" is left dangling with no noun to attach to logically. Fix it by making clear who is waiting: "Waiting for the bus, I got soaked when the rain started." Now "waiting" clearly modifies "I" (the understood subject). Dangling participles confuse your reader and make sentences ambiguous or unintentionally funny.
- Can you use a gerund as the object of a preposition?
- Yes, absolutely. Gerunds are nouns, so they work perfectly as objects of prepositions. "Without thinking carefully, she made a mistake" uses "thinking" as a gerund (the object of the preposition "without"). "I am afraid of failing" uses "failing" as a gerund (the object of the preposition "of"). This is one of the most common noun jobs for gerunds. You can recognize it because a preposition always precedes the gerund.
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