{"id":15352,"date":"2012-11-26T09:00:50","date_gmt":"2012-11-26T16:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/?p=15352"},"modified":"2012-11-08T14:46:11","modified_gmt":"2012-11-08T21:46:11","slug":"gmat-grammar-gerunds-and-gerund-phrases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/gmat-grammar-gerunds-and-gerund-phrases\/","title":{"rendered":"GMAT Grammar: Gerunds and Gerund Phrases"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"On the GMAT Sentence Correction, the \u2013ing form of a verb will sometimes act as part of the main verb: in this case, it is part of one of the\u00a0Progressive Tenses<\/a>\u00a0of a verb.\u00a0 Sometimes the \u2013ing form of a verb will modify a noun: in this case, it is a\u00a0participle<\/a>.\u00a0 Sometimes, though, the \u2013ing form of a verb will\u00a0act as a noun itself<\/em>\u00a0in a sentence.\u00a0 In this case, it is a\u00a0gerund<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Gerunds<\/h2>\n

A gerund is the \u2013ing form of a verb acting as a noun, in any of the \"noun roles\" possible in a sentence.\u00a0 A gerund can be the subject, the direct object, or the object of a prepositional phrase.<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0 Walking is an underappreciated form of exercise.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0 Right after a big meal, one should avoid swimming.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0 To appreciate the art of pitching is to understand the essential aspect of baseball.<\/p>\n

In #1, the gerund \"walking\" is the subject of the sentence.\u00a0 In #2, the gerund \"swimming\" is the direct object of the verb \"avoid.\"\u00a0 In #3, the gerund \"pitching\" is the object of the preposition \"of\".\u00a0 Notice that this gerund inside a prepositional phrase is packaged inside an\u00a0infinitive<\/a>\u00a0phrase.\u00a0 A gerund can also start a phrase, and have other forms packed inside of it.\u00a0 On Sentence Correction, the GMAT\u00a0loves<\/em>\u00a0to pack one grammatical form inside another, just like\u00a0Russian dolls<\/a>.\u00a0 The more layers, the better!\u00a0 All verb-form phrases (participial phrases, infinitive phrases, gerund phrase) allow for this Russian-doll layering --- any one of those could go \"inside\" any of the others, and they can stack in multiple layers --- unlimited fun for the nerds who write GMAT Sentence Correction questions!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Gerund phrases<\/h2>\n

Because the gerund is a verb form, it can take a direct object, a prepositional phrase, an adverb or an\u00a0adverbial phrase<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0 In other words, it can be followed by all the grammatical pieces that can follow an ordinary bonafide verb.\u00a0 When a gerund is followed by these pieces, it becomes a gerund phrase.\u00a0 Here are some examples, with the gerund phrases underlined.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0Listening to all nine of Beethoven's symphonies in a row\u00a0is his idea of a day well spent.<\/p>\n

5. Why don't more people find\u00a0hiking in a forest in a rainstorm\u00a0a magical experience?<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0 A manual for\u00a0re-booting the photocopy machine after it shuts down due to a power surge\u00a0would be helpful.<\/p>\n

7. I prefer\u00a0reading a scintillating book\u00a0to\u00a0watching an hour of mind-numbing television.<\/p>\n

In #4, the gerund phrase is the main subject of the sentence; a gerund could also be the subject of any subordinate clause.\u00a0 In #5, the gerund phrase is the direct object of the verb \"find\"; incidentally, this is the idiomatic form \"to find A B\", where \"A\" is the object and \"B\" is the quality or characteristic one ascribes to A.\u00a0 In #6, the gerund phase is the object of the preposition \"for\"; notice that packed within the gerund phrase is a subordinate clause beginning with the word \"after\" \u2013 again, the Russian-dolls thing that the GMAT loves.\u00a0 In #7, the first gerund phrase (\"reading \u2026\") is the direct object of the verb \"prefer\" and the second gerund phrase (\"watching \u2026\") is the object of the preposition \"to\".\u00a0 This final sentence demonstrates the idiomatic form \"to prefer A to B.\"<\/p>\n

Gerunds are a frequently tested form on GMAT Sentence Correction.\u00a0 Here are a couple of GMAT SC practice questions involving gerunds.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Practice Questions<\/h2>\n

1) The income categories of Senator Crocker\u2019s proposed tax code are\u00a0as broad as to fail to distinguish the sale of an old chair at a pawnshop from collecting profits in\u00a0a sophisticated stock option move.<\/p>\n

    \n
      \n
    1. as broad as to fail to distinguish the sale of an old chair at a pawnshop from collecting profits in<\/li>\n
    2. as broad as to fail in distinguishing between the sale of an old chair at a pawnshop and collecting profits from<\/li>\n
    3. so broad as to fail to distinguish selling an old chair at a pawnshop and collecting profits from<\/li>\n
    4. so broad as to fail to distinguish selling an old chair at a pawnshop from collecting profits in<\/li>\n
    5. so broad that he fails in distinguishing between selling chair at a pawnshop from the profits in<\/li>\n
        2) Getting adequate sleep, a full eight hours every night, the depth of\u00a0which will be enhanced by a regular regimen of physical exercise, with significant consequences for not only one's immediate short term health, but also for the immune system's ability in fighting\u00a0major illness over the long term.<\/ol>\n<\/ol>\n<\/ol>\n

        A. which will be enhanced by a regular regimen of physical exercise, with significant consequences for not only one's immediate short term health, but also for the immune system's ability in fighting<\/p>\n

        B. which will be enhanced by a regular regimen of physical exercise, has significant consequences not only for one's immediate short term health, but also for the immune system's ability to fight<\/p>\n

        C. which will be enhanced by a regular regimen of physical exercise, having significant consequences for not only one's immediate short term health, and for the immune system's ability to fight<\/p>\n

        D. which will be enhanced by a regular regimen of physical exercise, has significant consequences not only for one's immediate short term health, and also for the immune system's ability in fighting<\/p>\n

        E. that will be enhanced by a regular regimen of physical exercise, which has significant consequences not only for one's immediate short term health, and the immune system can fight<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Practice question explanations<\/h2>\n

        For both of these, we will analyze them in terms of\u00a0splits<\/a>.<\/p>\n

        1) There are a number of splits in this one: it does not matter at all which split we analyze first.<\/p>\n

        Split #1: the idiom \"so [adjective] as to\" is correct, and the construction \"as [adjective] as to\" is idiomatically incorrect.\u00a0 Choices\u00a0(A)<\/strong>\u00a0&\u00a0(B)<\/strong>\u00a0are incorrect on this split, and choices\u00a0(C)<\/strong>\u00a0&\u00a0(D)<\/strong>\u00a0&\u00a0(E)<\/strong>\u00a0are correct.<\/p>\n

        Split #2: the idiom \"fail to\" is correct, and the construction \"fail in\" is incorrect.\u00a0 Choices\u00a0(B)<\/strong>\u00a0&\u00a0(E)<\/strong>\u00a0are incorrect on this split, and choices\u00a0(A)<\/strong>\u00a0&\u00a0(C)<\/strong>\u00a0&\u00a0(D)<\/strong>\u00a0are correct.<\/p>\n

        Split #3: there are two acceptable idioms involving the verb \"distinguish\" --- one is \"to distinguish P\u00a0from\u00a0Q\" (choices\u00a0(A)<\/strong>\u00a0&\u00a0(D)<\/strong>\u00a0have this correct); the other is \"to distinguish\u00a0between\u00a0P\u00a0and\u00a0Q\" (no choice has this correct).\u00a0 It is incorrect to use \"distinguish between\" with \"from\" (choice\u00a0(B)<\/strong>\u00a0&\u00a0(E)<\/strong>\u00a0make this mistake) and to use \"distinguish\" + \"and\" without the word \"between\" (choice\u00a0(C)<\/strong>\u00a0makes this mistake).<\/p>\n

        Split #4: Parallel structure!\u00a0 In either of the forms of the \"distinguish\" idiom, the P and Q must be parallel in structure.\u00a0 Both can be gerunds, \"selling\" and \"collecting\" (choice\u00a0(C)\u00a0<\/strong>&\u00a0(D)\u00a0<\/strong>have this correct).\u00a0 Both can be nouns, \"sale\" and \"profits\" --- no answer choice has that construction.\u00a0 It violates parallelism to have one gerund and one noun --- choices\u00a0(A)\u00a0<\/strong>&\u00a0(B)<\/strong>\u00a0&\u00a0(E)<\/strong>\u00a0make that mistake.<\/p>\n

        It's not really a split, because only one choice has this issue, but notice the mystery pronoun in\u00a0(E)<\/strong>\u00a0--- who is the \"he\" mentioned in this choice??<\/p>\n

        I explored all four splits so folks would see all the issues at play in this sentence, but any two or three would be sufficient to eliminate the other four answers and leave the only possible correct answer,\u00a0(D)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

        2) Here, the gerund begins the sentence and is (or should be) the main verb of the entire sentence.\u00a0 Again, there are multiple splits, and it does not matter which one we analyze first.<\/p>\n

        Split #1: on the Sentence Correction, the GMAT adores the \"not only P, but also Q\" construction: only choices\u00a0(A)<\/strong>\u00a0&\u00a0(B)<\/strong>\u00a0have this correct idiom.\u00a0 Incorrect variants include \"not only \u2026 and\" (choices\u00a0(C)<\/strong>\u00a0&\u00a0(E)<\/strong>\u00a0make this mistake) and \"not only \u2026 and also\" (choice\u00a0(D)\u00a0<\/strong>makes this mistake).<\/p>\n

        Split #2: one mistake involves\u00a0the placement of the common word \"for\" in parallel structure<\/a>.\u00a0 The word \"for\" can either appear once before and outside of the parallel structure --- \"for<\/em>\u00a0not only P but also Q\" (no answer choice has this) --- or it can be repeated in each term of the parallel structure ---- \"not only\u00a0for<\/em>\u00a0P but also\u00a0fo<\/em>r Q\" (choices\u00a0(B)<\/strong>\u00a0&\u00a0(D)<\/strong>\u00a0have this correct).\u00a0 It is a classic GMAT Sentence Correction mistake to have the common word once outside and once inside, as in \"for<\/em>\u00a0not only P, but also\u00a0for<\/em>\u00a0Q\" (choices\u00a0(A)<\/strong>\u00a0&\u00a0(C)<\/strong>\u00a0have this incorrect construction).\u00a0 Choice\u00a0(E)<\/strong>\u00a0blatantly violates the parallelism, so that's an even bigger problem!<\/p>\n

        Split #3: The \"ability\" idiomatically is followed by an infinitive --- the \"ability to do something\" (choices\u00a0(B)<\/strong>\u00a0&\u00a0(C)<\/strong>\u00a0get this correct).\u00a0 A common idiomatically incorrect construction involves the word \"ability\" + \"in\" + [gerund] --- \"ability in doing something\" (choices\u00a0(A)<\/strong>\u00a0&\u00a0(D)<\/strong>\u00a0make this idiom mistake).\u00a0 Choice\u00a0(E)<\/strong>\u00a0avoids this particular issue by blatantly violating the parallel structure, again, a much larger problem.<\/p>\n

        Those three splits are already enough to isolate choice\u00a0(B)<\/strong>\u00a0as the only possible correct answer.<\/p>\n

        Another more sophisticated split I'll point out involves the\u00a0missing verb<\/a>\u00a0mistake.\u00a0 If you notice, choices\u00a0(A)<\/strong>\u00a0&\u00a0(C)<\/strong>\u00a0are not complete sentences --- the noun \"getting\" does not have its own verb anywhere in these sentences.\u00a0 Choices\u00a0(B)<\/strong>\u00a0&\u00a0(D)<\/strong>\u00a0provide the main verb \"has\" for the main subject \"getting.\"\u00a0 Sentence\u00a0(E)<\/strong>, with it substitution of \"that\" for \"which\" has a particular bizarre structure --- technically, in version\u00a0(E)<\/strong>, everything from \"the depth of that\" to the end would be a complete sentence, but then the whole first part is odd gerund phrase that sticks out awkwardly like a sore thumb and doesn't fit with the rest.\u00a0 If we fixed the other mistakes in choice\u00a0(E)<\/strong>, we could rectify this problem by constructing two separate sentences following this layout: \"Getting adequate sleep, a full eight hours every night, is important.\u00a0 The depth of this sleep will be \u2026.\"\u00a0 That would be a possibility in real-life editing.\u00a0 In the GMAT Sentence Correction, though, you have to stick to one sentence, so\u00a0(E)\u00a0<\/strong>is out.<\/p>\n

        The best answer is\u00a0(B)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

        This post was written by Mike McGarry, GMAT expert at Magoosh<\/a>, and originally posted here<\/a>.
        \n<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        On the GMAT Sentence Correction, the \u2013ing form of a verb will sometimes act as part of the main verb: in this case, it is part of one of the\u00a0Progressive…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":133,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,783,243,719,735],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15352","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gmat","category-magoosh-blog","category-blog","category-sentence-correction-gmat","category-verbal-gmat-blog","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15352","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/133"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15352"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15352\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15354,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15352\/revisions\/15354"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15352"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15352"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}