Identifying Gerunds and Gerund Phrases

What is the gerund in this sentence: Josiah and Ama were waiting patiently for the reading of the will.

• waiting

• reading

• were

• patiently

Why is the word in blue a gerund?

Whomping the children was Mrs. Brennan’s job on Halloween because she was dressed as the Willow from Harry Potter.

• Because it comes first

• Because it is a fun word

• Because it is the subject of the sentence

• Because it is the object of a preposition

A gerund is a form of a verb that acts as a _____.

• adjective

• adverb

• verb

• noun

Identify the gerund.

Halim was punished for cheating.

• Halim

• was

• punished

• cheating

Identify the gerund.

They called her playing brilliant.

• They

• called

• playing

• brilliant

Identify the gerund.

Reading is an important skill.

• Reading

• an

• important

• skill

Identify the gerunds (check three):

Acting is merely the art of keeping a large group of people from coughing.

• acting

• keeping

• coughing

• art

Identify the gerund phrase.

The frowning artist was thinking of painting my house.

• frowning artist

• was thinking

• artist was thinking of painting

• painting my house

Identify the gerund phrase.

We're going to see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.

• going to see

• going to see the changing of the guard

• the changing of the guard

• changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace

Identify the gerund phrase.

Piling too much laundry into a washing machine was causing it to malfunction.

• washing machine

• piling too much laundry into a washing machine

• piling too much

• was causing it to malfunction