Hi, Ardith Hinton!   
   I read your message from  02.02.2017 09:52   
   about Gerunds.   
      
    ak>> As I understand it, a gerund (as a form of a verb) must take the   
    ak>> same direct object as a pure verb. Examples:   
      
    ak>> They loaded the ship. (a pure verb). They started loading the   
    ak>> ship. (a gerund)   
      
    AS>> I agree that your second sentence has a gerund, but I also insist   
    AS>> that The loading of this ship took two days.   
      
      
    AH> I see "loading" as a gerund in your example & in Anton's. According   
    AH> to FOWLER'S MODERN ENGLISH USAGE, a verbal noun ending in - ing is   
    AH> precisely the same thing as a gerund in English.   
      
   I see your point - you actually say that there is no difference between a   
   gerund and an "ing" verbal noun.   
   I as said before I was taught that there are nouns that are derived from   
   verbs; they have "ing" form, and they are not gerunds. Let me to argue a bit,   
   just for a process and good tonus. ;-)   
      
   For instance:   
   "To sit". It can be in the form of a gerund or a verbal noun:   
      
   "Siting is a process I like very much"      (a gerund)   
   Before being sat the congregation sang a hymn. (a gerund the passive voice)   
   But...   
   I took part in the sitting of the committee.  - we have an "ing" noun here!   
      
   IMHO, maybe there is a rule -- a gerund means _a process_, but a verb "ing"   
   noun can be just a description of the process, as any noun, like "invasion",   
   for instance.   
      
   to talk.   
   "Talking quickly we resolved the deal by 10 a.m."  -- a gerund with an adverb)   
      
   "I was awaken by their loud talking."  ("talking" is a verbal noun with an   
   adjective).   
      
   "talking" is a pure noun because we can replace it with "talk".   
   "I was awaken by their loud talk."   
      
      
    AH> If you can use "the" &/or any other type of adjective to modify a   
    AH> word it's a noun... regardless of its origin.   
      
   We cannot say that a gerund is a form of a noun. Otherwise we would study it   
   when we study nouns.   
      
    AH> Once again the   
    AH> dictionary is a good resource in situations like this. It will   
    AH> identify as nouns a lot of - ing words which are used to name   
    AH> various activities. With only eight parts of speech available, one   
    AH> may have to shoehorn some concepts to make them fit. But all the   
    AH> dictionaries I know of identify parts of speech.... :-)   
      
      
    ak>> "Being loaded the ship sunk". "Having been loaded the ship sunk"   
    AH> Now you're dealing with participles, i.e. another can of worms. And   
    AH> BTW... "sink, sank, sunk". After the fact one might say "a sunken   
    AH> ship". ;-))   
      
   Yes, it was my mistake, and no doubt about it. I was in hurry when I wrote it.   
   The gerund is not a very clear thing. ;)   
      
      
    AH> I'll gladly share my thoughts when I can whittle them down to a   
    AH> more manageable size. But I don't need to tell you not to hold your   
    AH> breath.... :-)   
      
   I hope we will continue hear your valuable comments on our mistakes and   
   delusions. ;-)   
      
   Bye, Ardith!   
   Alexander Koryagin   
   ENGLISH_TUTOR 2017   
      
   --- Paul's Win98SE VirtualBox   
    * Origin: Quinn's Post - Maryborough, Queensland, OZ (3:640/384)