Gerund 1 — after verbs, as subject, after prepositions
verb-ing as noun: after enjoy/mind/finish; as subject; after prepositions.
A — Sample sentences
Words like farm, field, harvest, livestock, path, hedge, and stream.
1) Gerund after certain verbs
enjoy, mind, finish, avoid, suggest + verb-ing (not infinitive).
- Farmers enjoy working in the fields early in the morning.
- She doesn't mind walking along the footpath after rain.
- They finished harvesting the crops before the storm.
- He avoided crossing the stream because the water was high.
2) Gerund as subject or object
verb-ing can be the subject of a sentence like a noun.
- Growing vegetables takes patience and good soil.
- Feeding the livestock is the farmer's first job every day.
- Living in the countryside is quieter than living in town.
- She loves watching sheep in the meadow.
3) Gerund after prepositions
After in, on, before, without, interested in, good at + verb-ing.
- He is good at repairing fences and gates.
- Before milking the cows, she checks the barn.
- They went for a walk without crossing the main road.
- We are interested in learning more about organic farming.
Try it: Gerund or infinitive?
Choose the best form.
- She enjoys ___ through the woods at weekends.
(a) walking (b) to walk (c) walk - They finished ___ the hay before sunset.
(a) to store (b) storing (c) store - ___ cattle is hard work in winter.
(a) Feed (b) Feeding (c) To feed - He is good at ___ wooden gates.
(a) make (b) making (c) to make
Check your answers in the course — it marks them instantly. This is one of the unit's 4 exercises; the other 3 are in the General English course too.
Practise this unit in the course →