THE INDISPENSIBLE -ING ENDING
Is this the Fifth or Sixth Commandment of the Dubious Advisors?
“Thou shalt not use -ing endings!”
The Dubious Advisors call them “–ing words.”
Their proper names are – present participles, gerunds and the progressive form of verbs. Collectively participles and gerunds are called verbals.
Present participles function as –
1- adjectives
2 nouns
3 verbs
When a participle functions as a noun, it is called a gerund.
When a present participle functions as a verb, it helps form the progressive form of a verb (more on that later). Obviously the difference among them is too substantial to be simply dismissed as “-ing endings.”
This is especially so if a writer is not certain whether he or she is looking at a verb, an adjective or a noun in order to assess its importance in his or her narrative.
Are the following forbidden “ing endings” functioning as adjectives, nouns or verbs?
running charging
swimming seeing
falling flying
pitching writing
dining kissing.
All of the above.
It depends on how they are used. –
Swimming is my favorite exercise. (Noun)
Let’s join the swimming team. - (Adjective)
We were swimming close to shore when we saw a shark. - (Verb)
Examples of the present participle functioning as an adjective
Here is how present participles (so-called –“ ing words”) modify nouns.
running water swimming coach falling rocks
pitching cage charging bull Seeing Eye dog
flying squirrel writing class dining room.
Need more unnecessary “-ing” words?
reading lamp satisfying experience winning ticket
landing strip operating room clinging dress
blasting music opening scene living will
screaming baby failing grades rising temperature
loving mother (or father) ringing bell skating rink
emerging markets racing car growing weeds
speeding ticket howling dog losing bet.
The true test of language is to try to do without it on a consistent basis in both written and spoken language. In the above examples, removing the participle renders the remaining noun meaningless in terms of what you want to say. A winning ticket is enormously different from speeding ticket or simply a ticket. Is there a difference between a bull and a charging bull?
The progressive form of the verb indicates action that is going on
Present Tense Singular Present Tense Plural
I am going We are going
You are going You are going
He, she, it is going They are going
A complete conjugation of a verb includes the past tense, future tense, present perfect tense, past perfect and future perfect tense. Each tense has a singular and a plural. We use every form of a verb in everyday life without thinking about it.
Examples of the progressive form of a verb in various tenses.
1 - He’s been running the Boston Marathon for the past ten years. (He has been running– present perfect tense)
2 - I think I’m falling in love with you. (I am falling – present tense)
3 - Lee’s pitching tonight. (He is pitching/Lee is pitching – present tense)
4 - We’ll be dining out tonight, James. (We will be dining - future tense)
5 - You’re charging too much on the credit card. (You are charging – present tense)
6 - I’d been seeing someone from work when I met you (I had been seeing – past perfect tense)
7 - They’re flying to L.A tonight. (They are flying – present tense)
8 - I’m writing your recommendation now but I’m stuck. (I am writing – present tense )
9 - We were kissing on the sofa when the earthquake struck. ( past tense )
10 - You can’t disturb him while he’s operating. (He is operating – present tense)
Try conjugating yourself. Start with the following five verbs.
I am doing
I am flying
I am trying
I am working
I am eating
Examples of the present participle used as a noun (gerund).
(Gerunds can be single words or part of a gerund phrase.)
1 - He admitted knowing the rapist.
2 - Running away is no way to solve a problem.
3 – You’re only making trouble for yourself.
4 - They were in the kitchen popping corn.
5 - Plowing is the hardest thing I ever did.
6 - We caught two boys cheating.
7 - Loud screaming woke us.
8 - My job is boring
9 - She enjoys swimming in the nude.
10 - Mowing lawns, Jason’s summer job, helped to get him through college.
11 - Walking always gives me an appetite.
12 - The sexy girl, catching my eye, beckoned to me.
You can decide whether or not simply attempting to abolish so-called –“ing endings” on a whim can help your writing. More - is it possible?
Is this the Fifth or Sixth Commandment of the Dubious Advisors?
“Thou shalt not use -ing endings!”
The Dubious Advisors call them “–ing words.”
Their proper names are – present participles, gerunds and the progressive form of verbs. Collectively participles and gerunds are called verbals.
Present participles function as –
1- adjectives
2 nouns
3 verbs
When a participle functions as a noun, it is called a gerund.
When a present participle functions as a verb, it helps form the progressive form of a verb (more on that later). Obviously the difference among them is too substantial to be simply dismissed as “-ing endings.”
This is especially so if a writer is not certain whether he or she is looking at a verb, an adjective or a noun in order to assess its importance in his or her narrative.
Are the following forbidden “ing endings” functioning as adjectives, nouns or verbs?
running charging
swimming seeing
falling flying
pitching writing
dining kissing.
All of the above.
It depends on how they are used. –
Swimming is my favorite exercise. (Noun)
Let’s join the swimming team. - (Adjective)
We were swimming close to shore when we saw a shark. - (Verb)
Examples of the present participle functioning as an adjective
Here is how present participles (so-called –“ ing words”) modify nouns.
running water swimming coach falling rocks
pitching cage charging bull Seeing Eye dog
flying squirrel writing class dining room.
Need more unnecessary “-ing” words?
reading lamp satisfying experience winning ticket
landing strip operating room clinging dress
blasting music opening scene living will
screaming baby failing grades rising temperature
loving mother (or father) ringing bell skating rink
emerging markets racing car growing weeds
speeding ticket howling dog losing bet.
The true test of language is to try to do without it on a consistent basis in both written and spoken language. In the above examples, removing the participle renders the remaining noun meaningless in terms of what you want to say. A winning ticket is enormously different from speeding ticket or simply a ticket. Is there a difference between a bull and a charging bull?
The progressive form of the verb indicates action that is going on
Present Tense Singular Present Tense Plural
I am going We are going
You are going You are going
He, she, it is going They are going
A complete conjugation of a verb includes the past tense, future tense, present perfect tense, past perfect and future perfect tense. Each tense has a singular and a plural. We use every form of a verb in everyday life without thinking about it.
Examples of the progressive form of a verb in various tenses.
1 - He’s been running the Boston Marathon for the past ten years. (He has been running– present perfect tense)
2 - I think I’m falling in love with you. (I am falling – present tense)
3 - Lee’s pitching tonight. (He is pitching/Lee is pitching – present tense)
4 - We’ll be dining out tonight, James. (We will be dining - future tense)
5 - You’re charging too much on the credit card. (You are charging – present tense)
6 - I’d been seeing someone from work when I met you (I had been seeing – past perfect tense)
7 - They’re flying to L.A tonight. (They are flying – present tense)
8 - I’m writing your recommendation now but I’m stuck. (I am writing – present tense )
9 - We were kissing on the sofa when the earthquake struck. ( past tense )
10 - You can’t disturb him while he’s operating. (He is operating – present tense)
Try conjugating yourself. Start with the following five verbs.
I am doing
I am flying
I am trying
I am working
I am eating
Examples of the present participle used as a noun (gerund).
(Gerunds can be single words or part of a gerund phrase.)
1 - He admitted knowing the rapist.
2 - Running away is no way to solve a problem.
3 – You’re only making trouble for yourself.
4 - They were in the kitchen popping corn.
5 - Plowing is the hardest thing I ever did.
6 - We caught two boys cheating.
7 - Loud screaming woke us.
8 - My job is boring
9 - She enjoys swimming in the nude.
10 - Mowing lawns, Jason’s summer job, helped to get him through college.
11 - Walking always gives me an appetite.
12 - The sexy girl, catching my eye, beckoned to me.
You can decide whether or not simply attempting to abolish so-called –“ing endings” on a whim can help your writing. More - is it possible?