Grammar and Language Workbook

13. His story phoned in, the reporter prepared to enjoy the rest of the evening.
14. The politician heving been accused of accepting a bribe, his bank records were subpoenaed.
15. Many species of herbs having become well established in wastelands, we drove there to study
them.
Name ___________________________________________________ Class _________ Date ____________________
88 
Grammar and Language Workbook, Grade 12
Copyright © by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill
Grammar

---

Lesson 20
Gerunds and Gerund Phrases; Appositives and
Appositive Phrases
A 
gerund 
is a verb form that ends in -ing and functions as a noun in the sentence.
Racing is his greatest love. (gerund used as subject)
He loves racing. (gerund used as direct object)
He is very good at racing. (gerund used as object of preposition)
His love is racing. (gerund used as predicate nominative)
A 
gerund phrase
is a gerund plus any complements and modifiers.
Stock car racing is his greatest love.
 Exercise 1
Underline each gerund and gerund phrase.
Astronauts enjoy exploring outerspace.
1. Obtaining a degree in engineering, science, or a medical field is how several of my classmates
plan to enter the space industry.
2. Terra believes that as an astronaut she could combine her two great loves—flying and science.
3. Becoming an astronaut requires a college education and many months of special study.
4. Becoming an astronaut is not in William’s plans; he wants to pursue a career in rocketry.
5. His dream is building a nuclear-powered starship that will travel many times faster than
today’s chemical rockets.
6. Scientists are excited about designing a spacecraft to go on a proposed mission to our nearest
star, Barnard’s Star.