What is a gerund?

A gerund is a verb that acts like a noun. You form it by adding -ing to the base verb.

verb + -ing → used as a noun

Meeting clients is important.

Kunden treffen ist wichtig.

We need to improve our reporting.

Wir müssen unser Berichtswesen verbessern.

She enjoys presenting to the team.

Sie präsentiert gerne vor dem Team.

Key point: Gerunds look like present participles (-ing forms) but they work as the subject or object of a sentence — just like a noun.

1 / 5

Three main uses

1. As the subject of a sentence

Checking the data takes time.

Die Daten zu prüfen dauert Zeit.

Sending weekly reports is company policy.

Wochenberichte zu senden ist Unternehmensrichtlinie.

2. After certain verbs

Some verbs are always followed by a gerund:

enjoyfinishavoid considersuggestrecommend keeppractisemind involve

We finished testing the new machine.

Wir haben das Testen der neuen Maschine abgeschlossen.

They suggested outsourcing the logistics.

Sie schlugen vor, die Logistik auszulagern.

3. After prepositions

After prepositions like in, about, for, of, before, after, without — always use a gerund, not an infinitive.

We talked about reducing costs.

Wir haben über Kostensenkung gesprochen.

He left without signing the contract.

Er ging, ohne den Vertrag zu unterschreiben.

2 / 5

Gerund vs. Infinitive — quick guide

Some verbs can take either form, but with a difference in meaning. Others are fixed.

Gerund (verb + -ing)	Infinitive (to + verb)
enjoy, avoid, finish, suggest	want, need, decide, plan, hope
after prepositions	after adjectives (easy to do)
as the subject of a sentence	to express purpose (in order to)

Watch out! Some verbs change meaning:

I stopped smoking = I no longer smoke (gerund = the activity you stop)
I stopped to smoke = I paused in order to smoke (infinitive = purpose)

We plan to reduce waste. ✓ (plan + infinitive)

We avoid wasting materials. ✓ (avoid + gerund)

3 / 5

Quiz – Choose the correct form

1. Complete the sentence:

We finished ______ the quarterly report.

2. Complete the sentence:

They decided ______ a new supplier.

3. Complete the sentence:

He is responsible for ______ the safety checks.

4. Complete the sentence:

______ on time is very important in our company.

4 / 5

Fill in the gap

Type the correct gerund form of the verb in brackets.

1. We avoid ______ mistakes in production. (make)

2. ______ the team is part of my job. (motivate)

3. She is good at ______ complex problems. (solve)

4. They recommend ______ the new software before the launch. (test)

5. The process involves ______ each part three times. (check)

5 / 5

Gerunds – Interactive Grammar

Gerunds