From: alexander koryagin    
      
      
   Hi, Ardith Hinton!   
   I read your message from 30.12.2013 00:06   
      
   DM>> I'll never forget sailing down the Volga on that lovely summer   
   DM>> day. :-)   
      
      
   AH> Correct. In English, the present participle ("- ing" form of a   
   AH> verb) may be used as a noun... and in such situations it is called   
   AH> a "gerund".   
      
   AH> Other examples:   
   AH> Seeing is believing.   
   AH> John enjoys sailing, swimming, and skiing.   
   AH> Betty went to a showing of Jane's painting and drawing.   
   AH> I remember watching STAR TREK on TV years ago.   
   AH> When we speak of "The Three R's" as the basics of education we're   
   AH> referring to "reading, writing, and arithmetic".   
      
      
       I know that some people have difficulty to tell the gerund from the    
   Present Participle. Indeed, both forms look equally. I read some    
   materials on this account:   
      
       The gerund is used to produce noun phrases. Participles are used to    
   produce adjectival or adverbial phrases.   
      
   [I like eating cakes.]   
   Here eating is a gerund; the verb phrase "eating cakes" serves as a    
   noun, being the object of the main verb "like".   
      
   [I saw him eating a cake.]   
   Here "eating" is a present participle; the verb phrase "eating a cake"    
   serves as an adjective, modifying him.   
      
   [Trying to get over the fence, he hurt his knee.]   
   Here "trying" is a present participle; the verb phrase "trying to get    
   over the fence" has the function of an adverb in the main clause.   
      
   Another explanations:   
      
   [Catching fish is fun.]   
   Here "catching" is a gerund; it takes an object (fish), like the verb    
   "catch".   
      
   [Shouting loudly is enjoyable.]   
   Here "shouting" is a gerund; it is modified by the adverb "loudly," like    
   the verb "shout".   
      
      
   Bye, Ardith!   
   Alexander Koryagin   
   fido7.english-tutor 2013   
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