* Gerunds: These are verbs that act as nouns.
* Example: *Swimming* is my favorite exercise. (Swimming is the subject of the sentence)
* Present participles: These are verbs that describe an action happening now.
* Example: The *running* water made a splashing sound. (Running describes the water)
* Adjectives: Some words ending in "-ing" can function as adjectives, describing a noun.
* Example: She wore a *frightening* mask. (Frightening describes the mask)
It's important to look at the context to determine which part of speech a word ending in "-ing" is.
Here are some helpful tips:
* Ask yourself: Does the word name an action? (gerund)
* Does it describe a noun? (adjective)
* Does it show an ongoing action? (present participle)
Let me know if you have a specific word you'd like me to analyze!