Gerund vs Participle Quiz

1. What is a gerund phrase?

A verb ending in -ing plus its modifiers or objects used as a noun

A verb ending in -ing used only as a main verb

Any phrase that starts with a noun

Any phrase that starts a sentence

A gerund phrase begins with a gerund and the whole phrase acts like a noun.

Explanation

A gerund phrase begins with a gerund and the whole phrase acts like a noun.

2. What is a present participle phrase?

A verb ending in -ing used as a noun

A verb ending in -ing used as an adverb

A verb ending in -ing with its modifiers that acts as an adjective

Any verb phrase showing past tense

A present participle phrase describes a noun or pronoun, so it works like an adjective.

Explanation

A present participle phrase describes a noun or pronoun, so it works like an adjective.

3. Both gerund phrases and present participle phrases begin with verbs ending in -ing, but they have different jobs in the sentence.

True

False

They look similar, but gerund phrases act as nouns and participle phrases act as adjectives.

Explanation

They look similar, but gerund phrases act as nouns and participle phrases act as adjectives.

4. In the sentence 'Painting landscapes takes patience,' what is 'Painting landscapes'?

A present participle phrase acting as an adjective

A main verb phrase showing tense

A gerund phrase acting as the subject

A prepositional phrase

The phrase names an activity and is the subject, so it is a gerund phrase.

Explanation

The phrase names an activity and is the subject, so it is a gerund phrase.

5. In 'Painting landscapes, the artist lost track of time,' what is 'Painting landscapes'?

A gerund phrase acting as a subject

A present participle phrase describing the artist

A main verb phrase

A prepositional phrase

The phrase tells what the artist was doing, so it describes the noun artist as a participle phrase.

Explanation

The phrase tells what the artist was doing, so it describes the noun artist as a participle phrase.

6. Which sentences contain a gerund phrase?

Swimming in the ocean is relaxing.

Laughing loudly, the students filled the halls.

My hobby is collecting stamps.

Walking to school, we talked about our day.

He enjoys playing chess after dinner.

In A, C, and E the -ing phrases act like nouns, serving as subject, predicate noun, or direct object.

Explanation

In A, C, and E the -ing phrases act like nouns, serving as subject, predicate noun, or direct object.

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7. Which sentences contain a present participle phrase?

Running around the yard, the dog chased its tail.

Running around the yard is the dog's favorite game.

Shivering from the cold, we hurried inside.

Shivering from the cold bothers me.

The baby, crying loudly, woke everyone up.

In A, C, and E the -ing phrases describe a noun, so they function as participle phrases.

Explanation

In A, C, and E the -ing phrases describe a noun, so they function as participle phrases.

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8. If an -ing phrase acts like a noun in the sentence, it is a gerund phrase.

True

False

Gerund phrases always take a noun job such as subject or object.

Explanation

Gerund phrases always take a noun job such as subject or object.

9. Which quick test often helps you tell a gerund phrase from a participle phrase?

See if you can move the phrase to the end of the sentence.

See if you can replace the -ing phrase with a noun like 'something.'

See if the phrase can be turned into past tense.

See if the phrase contains a preposition.

If a regular noun can replace the phrase, it is acting like a noun and is probably a gerund phrase.

Explanation

If a regular noun can replace the phrase, it is acting like a noun and is probably a gerund phrase.

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11. A present participle phrase usually functions as an __________ describing a noun.

Participle phrases modify nouns or pronouns, so they work like adjectives.

Explanation

Participle phrases modify nouns or pronouns, so they work like adjectives.

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12. In 'Running through the hallway, the student dropped his books,' what is 'Running through the hallway'?

A gerund phrase used as the subject

A present participle phrase describing the student

A main verb phrase

A prepositional phrase

The phrase describes the student, so it is a participle phrase.

Explanation

The phrase describes the student, so it is a participle phrase.

13. In 'Running through the hallway is against the rules,' what is 'Running through the hallway'?

A gerund phrase acting as the subject

A present participle phrase describing rules

A main verb phrase

A prepositional phrase

The phrase names an action and is the subject of is, so it is a gerund phrase.

Explanation

The phrase names an action and is the subject of is, so it is a gerund phrase.

14. Which -ing phrases are gerund phrases, not participle phrases?

Reading late at night makes me sleepy.

Smiling politely, she greeted the guests.

He is tired of waiting in long lines.

The children, jumping excitedly, lined up at the door.

Her job is caring for young children.

In A, C, and E the phrases act as subject, object of a preposition, and predicate noun, so they are gerund phrases.

Explanation

In A, C, and E the phrases act as subject, object of a preposition, and predicate noun, so they are gerund phrases.

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15. In 'The crying baby needed a nap,' 'crying' is a present participle describing the baby, not a gerund.

True

False

Here crying tells what kind of baby, so it works as an adjective, not a noun.

Explanation

Here crying tells what kind of baby, so it works as an adjective, not a noun.

16. In 'He apologized for speaking so harshly,' what is 'speaking so harshly'?

A gerund phrase as the object of the preposition for

A present participle phrase describing he

A main verb phrase

A prepositional phrase

The phrase answers 'for what?' so it is a gerund phrase acting as an object of the preposition.

Explanation

The phrase answers 'for what?' so it is a gerund phrase acting as an object of the preposition.

17. In 'Smiling brightly, the winner accepted the trophy,' 'Smiling brightly' is a __________ participle phrase.

The phrase begins with a present participle and describes the noun winner.

Explanation

The phrase begins with a present participle and describes the noun winner.

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18. In 'Listening to music helps me focus,' what is 'Listening to music'?

A present participle phrase describing music

A gerund phrase acting as the subject

A main verb phrase

A prepositional phrase

The phrase is what helps me focus, so it functions as the subject.

Explanation

The phrase is what helps me focus, so it functions as the subject.

19. In 'Listening to music, I finished my homework,' what is 'Listening to music'?

A gerund phrase acting as the subject

A present participle phrase describing I

A main verb phrase

A prepositional phrase

The phrase tells what I was doing, so it describes the pronoun I as a participle phrase.

Explanation

The phrase tells what I was doing, so it describes the pronoun I as a participle phrase.

20. Which statements correctly compare gerund phrases and present participle phrases?

Both start with verbs ending in -ing.

Gerund phrases act as nouns in the sentence.

Present participle phrases act as adjectives describing nouns or pronouns.

Gerund phrases always describe a noun directly.

Present participle phrases can often be removed without breaking the main sentence.

Gerund and participle phrases both use -ing forms, but gerunds act as nouns and participles act as modifiers that the sentence can still work without.

Explanation

Gerund and participle phrases both use -ing forms, but gerunds act as nouns and participles act as modifiers that the sentence can still work without.

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Spot the Difference: Gerund vs Participle Quiz