Explaining noun clauses with -ing (gerunds) - E5-07W

Noun clauses using gerunds

In addition to noun clauses using wh words such as where, what and so on, there is another important group, based on gerunds, which we will now examine.

A gerund is a verb form used as a noun – for example swimming.

If we say: John is swimming in the pool, we are using it as a verb.

If we say Swimming is good for you, however, we are using it as a noun.

We could just as well say sport, or exercise is good for you. Sport, exercise and swimming are all being used in the same way, as subjects of ‘is’. The first two are nouns, the third is a verb form used as a noun, which we call a gerund.

Learning your way around London requires time and effort.

I remember being in this town once before.

In the above examples, learning and being both introduce noun clauses – the first is a noun clause subject of ‘requires’, the second is a noun clause object of ‘remember’.

We must be careful, however, to remember that there are also –ing clauses, and the two types must not be confused:

Hurrying across the road can cause you to have accidents.   noun clause

Hurrying across the road, Paul rushed into the bank.     –ing clause

In the second sentence, we have one subject, Paul, performing two actions – hurry, rush. In other words, hurrying… introduces an –ing clause.

Remember, we check that the first is a noun clause by finding the main verb – can – and then asking ‘who or what can?’ – the answer to which tells us the subject of the verb. The answer is: Hurrying…. can.

In other words, we cannot rely on the actual words which make up the clause to tell us which type it is – this we can find out only by analysing its function in the sentence. Here are two more examples – which is which? (answers at foot of page):

Julia had never regretted buying a copy of Tolstoy’s ‘War and Peace’, which she must have read four or five times in as many years.

Buying a copy of Tolstoy’s ‘War and Peace’, Julia dashed out of the bookshop and ran for her train.

A gerund can of course be used singly, in which case it functions simply as a noun, without there being any clause involved.

I love swimming.                

Fighting is widespread in the natural world.

These gerunds develop into noun clauses as soon as we expand them:

I love swimming in rivers under the stars.

Fighting for reasons of territory or hierarchy is widespread in the natural world.

Finally, here is yet another case of an –ing form, used differently to both of the previous ones:           

I could see the otter clearly now, swimming strongly against the current.

In this case, what we have is a reduced relative clause:

Now I could clearly see the otter, (who was) swimming strongly against the current.

[The change in word order is to make each sentence sound as it would be most naturally be written.]

The function of ‘ing’ noun clauses in writing

From the point of view of grammar, we are interested in recognising what type of construction is being used each time we have an ‘ing’ form in a text. But from the point of view of the student of English, the important question is: What use are ‘ing’ noun clauses to me in my writing?

First, notice that a large number of verbs are followed by gerunds -

I hate waiting.

He remembered dancing.

They regret asking.

We suggested walking.

and nothing is more natural than to add detail – such as time, place and manner -  to them, thus turning them into noun clauses.

I hate waiting patiently for a blind date who in the end never shows up.

He remembered dancing furiously for hours, so it must have been very late when the club closed.

Of course, they now regret asking for cocaine, because their picture was all over the newspapers the following day.

We suggested walking to the town centre to look for a taxi rank.

This type of construction gives us noun clause objects, and it is a valuable extension to our ability to express ourselves in English when we realise that we can also use similar forms as the subject, thus beginning the sentence with them.

Waiting patiently for a blind date who in the end never comes is not my idea of fun.

Asking for cocaine in a place frequented by paparazzi was just stupid.

Walking to the town centre may not get us a taxi, but what else do you suggest at this time of night?