Review of the linguistic literature on the problems of Phrase Theory in Modern Linguistics

2.3. Contextual features of Gerundial Phrases used in K. Macleod’s “The Wrock and Rune”
Gerund Phrases are groups of words made up of a gerund and the modifiers and /or (pro)nouns or noun phrase(s) that function as the direct object(s), indirect object(s), or compements of the action or state expressed in the gerund, such as:
Cleaning the house is not my idea of a good time. (“Cleaning” (gerund) “the house” (direct object of the action “cleaning”) – The gerund phrase functions as the subject of the sentence.)
Murielle hoped that Jacques liked her knitting him a ski mask. (“Knitting” (gerund) “her” (possessive pronoun adjective describing knitting) “him” (indirect object of knitting) “a ski mask” (direct object of knitting). The entire gerund phrase (“her knitting him a ski mask” is the direct object of the verb “liked”).
Jack’s best talent is creating unusual home-brewed wines. (“Creating” (gerund) “unusual home-brewed wines” (direct object of “creating”). The gerund phrase “creating unusual home-brewed wines” is the subject complement to “talent” (the subject of the sentence.)
Staying alone in the house frightened Allison. (The gerund phrase “staying alone in the house” is the subject of the sentence “Staying” (gerund) “Allison” is the direct object of the verb “frightened”.)
Recognize a gerund phrase wnen you see one.
A gerund phrase will begin with a gerund, an -ing word, and might include other modifiers and/or objects. Gerund phrases always function as nouns, so they will be subjects, subject complements, or objects in the sentence.
Eating ice-cream on windy day can be a messy experience if you have long, untamed hair. K. Macleod’s “The Wrock and Rune”
Eating ice-cream on a windy day – subject of the verb can be.
A more diastrous activity for long-haired people is blowing giant bubble gum bubbles with the car windows down.
Blowing giant bubble gum bubbles with the car windows down = subject complement of the linking verb is.
Wild food adventures require getting your hair cut to a short, safe length. K. Macleod’s “The Wrock and Rune”
Getting your hair cut to a short, safe length = direct object of the verb require.
Be careful not to mistake a gerund phrase for a present participle phrase. They are easy to confuse because both gerunds and present participles and in -ing.
The difference is that a gerund phrase will always function as a noun while a present participle phrase has the job of modifying another word in the sentence.
Let us see the examples:
Jamming too much clothing into a washing machine will result in disaster. K. Macleod’s “The Wrock and Rune”
Jamming too much clothing into a washing machine = gerund phrase (subject of the verb will result).
Jamming too much clothing into the washing machine = present participle phrase describing Aamir.
Bernard hates buttering toast with a fork. K. Macleod’s “The Wrock and Rune”
Buttering toast with a fork = gerund phrase (direct object of the verb hates).
Buttering toast with a fork, Bernard vowed that he would finally wash the week’s worth of dirty dishes piled in the sink.
Buttering toast with a fork = present participle phrase describing Bernard.
My dog’s most annoying habit is hogging the middle of the bed. (E. Caldwell)