* Gerund: "singing" is the gerund in this sentence. A gerund is a verb ending in "-ing" that acts as a noun.
* Function: The gerund "singing" functions as the object of the preposition "of."
Here's how it works:
1. "One of my favorite sounds" is the subject of the sentence.
2. "is" is the verb.
3. "children singing" is the object of the verb "is" and it's further broken down as:
* "children" is the noun modifying "singing"
* "singing" is the gerund acting as a noun, specifically the object of the preposition "of".
In short, the gerund "singing" tells us what kind of sound the speaker likes: the sound of children singing.