You can identify an unfamiliar -ing form by looking at what it does in its sentence. That makes the distinction between a gerund and a participle much easier to explain. Compare these examples of present participles with noun-like uses of the same form, and you will have a practical way to check your own writing.
Present participle examples: One form, different jobs
Consider three invented sentences about a student newsroom:
- “Interviewing takes preparation.”
- “The interviewing reporter checked her notes.”
- “The reporter is interviewing a musician.”
The spelling is identical, but the jobs differ. In the first sentence, “interviewing” names an activity and is the subject. In the second, it describes the reporter. In the third, it combines with “is” to form a progressive verb construction. The gerund vs participle distinction rests on the role in the particular sentence, not on the ending alone.
Different grammar references sometimes use the labels differently; this article uses the traditional classroom distinction between noun-like gerunds and present participles used as modifiers or in verb constructions. Purdue OWL’s guide to gerunds explains the noun-like roles in more detail.
Find a gerund in a subject or object
A gerund is an -ing form used in a noun-like role. In “Checking sources takes patience,” the whole phrase “checking sources” is the subject: it names what takes patience. “Checking” is the gerund, and “sources” is its object. Gerunds as subjects can be single words or longer phrases, so look at the whole unit before deciding what the main verb says about it.
In “The editor enjoys checking sources,” the same phrase is the object of “enjoys.” It names the activity the editor enjoys. The phrase can also follow a preposition: “The editor improved the story by checking sources.” Here it is the object of “by.” These examples of gerunds show the form occupying places where a noun or noun phrase can often appear.
A substitution can help you test the role: “Preparation takes patience” and “The editor enjoys preparation” are grammatical. The substitute changes the meaning somewhat, so use it as a clue rather than a mechanical proof. In these gerund sentence examples, ask whether the -ing phrase names the activity being discussed, then identify its relationship to the main verb or preposition.
Spot a modifier or part of a verb
A present participle can describe a noun. In “The smiling photographer raised the camera,” “smiling” describes the photographer; it does not name the sentence’s subject. In “The photographer waiting by the door raised the camera,” the participial phrase gives more information about which photographer is meant. Both are examples of a present participle working as a modifier.
The form can also help make a progressive verb: “The photographer is waiting by the door.” Here “is” is the auxiliary and “waiting” is the present participle. Together, they express an action in progress. “Was waiting” uses the same participle with a past-tense auxiliary, so the label “present” does not mean the whole sentence must describe the present.
Compare the participle sentences “The reporter is recording” and “The reporter was recording.” These examples of present participles show how the auxiliary changes the time frame. In “The recording reporter waved,” the same -ing form instead modifies “reporter.” These present participles need their surrounding words to show their role.
The difference between gerund and participle is clearest when you compare complete sentences. “Recording an interview takes concentration” treats the activity as the subject. “The reporter recording an interview needs concentration” describes the reporter. In a comparison of gerunds vs participles, the question is always what the form or phrase contributes to its clause.
Try identifying and fixing the forms
Identify the bold -ing form in each sentence. Then repair the last sentence so it says who was carrying the recorder.
- “Writing a headline takes practice.”
- “The editor liked writing headlines.”
- “The writing student paused to think.”
- “The student was writing a headline.”
- “Carrying the recorder, the stairs seemed unusually steep.”
Answers: In 1, “writing” begins a gerund phrase that is the subject; the activity takes practice. In 2, it begins a gerund phrase that is the object of “liked.” In 3, it is a participle modifying “student.” In 4, it is a participle in the verb construction “was writing.” The examples of gerund use in 1 and 2 name an activity in different positions; the present participle examples in 3 and 4 describe a person or form part of the verb.
In 5, the opening phrase seems to describe “the stairs,” which cannot carry the recorder. One clear revision is “Carrying the recorder, the reporter found the stairs unusually steep.” Now the opening phrase describes the reporter. If the stairs were carrying recording equipment, you would have a much stranger story to verify.
To make your own gerund examples in sentences, choose an action such as “editing.” Write “Editing requires attention,” then “The team enjoys editing.” Next write “The team is editing” and “The editing team paused.” Label the role of each form and explain what nearby word or phrase helped you decide.
A quick -ing checklist
Find the entire -ing phrase and the main clause. Does the phrase name an activity as subject, object, or object of a preposition? In this classroom approach, it is a gerund. Does it describe a noun, or combine with an auxiliary such as “is” or “was” in a progressive construction? It is a present participle. Check the surrounding words and meaning before you label the form: the spelling alone cannot tell you its job.
