4 Different Uses of ING Words

4 Different Uses of ING Words

We don't say ING verbs because ING words are wider than verbs and they can be verbs, nouns, adjectives or adverbs.

Using ING word as a Gerund

Technically and most of its cases ING word is a verb but it can be used as a noun, and in that case we call it "gerund" and that is a grammar word. A "gerund" is an ING word being used as a noun:

Eg: wearing a loose pants while riding a bicycle is dangerous.

The gerund in that example is "wearing" and the subject of that sentence is "wearing" and the verb is "is"

A gerund is the activity of the verb

Running is the activity, wearing is the activity but "to run" or "to wear" is the idea of the action.

Riding in the last example isn't a gerund but it is a participle we'll talk about it in our coming lessons.

Using ING as a Verb

Using ING Word is coming with verb "be" and if you don't see verb "to be" with the ING word, it isn't a verb, it is something else.

Eg: The man is riding a bike

Using ING as an adjective participle

Wearing a blue backless dress, the actress created quite a star at the party

Wearing here describe the adjective and the meaning of the sentence will be as following:

The actress who is wearing a backless dress created quite as a star at the party.

Using ING as an adverb participle

Not wanting to miss our flight, we arrived at the airport 3 hours early

We never use want as a verb with ING, but we can use with ING in that case, that means we can't say wanting.  

The meaning of the sentence will be as following

As we didn't want to miss our flight, we arrived at the airport 3 hours early.

for more detail, watch that video