Present Participles
* Act as adjectives describing nouns or pronouns.
* Examples:
* Running water (describes the water)
* The smiling child (describes the child)
Gerunds
* Act as nouns. They can be the subject, object, or complement of a sentence.
* Examples:
* Swimming is my favorite activity. (subject)
* I enjoy hiking. (object)
* Her passion is dancing. (complement)
Key Differences
* Function: Present participles modify nouns, while gerunds act as nouns.
* Placement: Present participles typically come directly after the noun they describe, while gerunds can appear in various positions in a sentence.
Here's a helpful trick:
* Present participles often answer the question "what kind?" or "which one?"
* Gerunds often answer the question "what?"
Example:
* "The singing bird" (present participle - describes the bird)
* "I enjoy singing." (gerund - the noun that is enjoyed)
While they share the same form, understanding their different roles is crucial for accurate writing and clear communication.