NYSTCE English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Practice Test

What type of noun is formed by adding "-ing" to a verb?

1. Infinitive

2. Gerund

3. Participle

4. Adverb

The correct answer is: Gerund

The correct choice is the gerund, which is formed by taking a verb and adding "-ing" to it. Gerunds function as nouns in a sentence, allowing them to take on roles commonly associated with nouns, such as the subject or object. For instance, in the sentence "Swimming is fun," "swimming" is a gerund acting as the subject. In contrast, while infinitives are formed by using "to" followed by the base form of the verb (e.g., "to swim"), they do not involve the "-ing" suffix and also serve different grammatical functions. A participle is a verb form used mainly as an adjective to describe a noun (e.g., "the swimming pool"); it can be present or past but is not used as a noun. Adverbs, on the other hand, modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs and do not stem from the verb form in the same way. Thus, the unique role of gerunds as nouns makes them the correct answer in this context.