diagramming various parts of speech

[web101]

diagramming simple sentences, compound, and some simple complex sentences are easy for me, but now my class is learning to diagram many more types of words. words like gerunds...(I believe its spelled that way)...and others that go on what i like to refer to as being a stick figure with outstreached arms above where the verb or subject is. can anyone give me some examples of what a gerund would be, and if they all follow some pattern possibly? One more question, what is a verbal? You see, I'm no english student, more of the sciences for me, and am unaware of simple things elementary students can easily comprehend. It is also very difficult to understand a thing when your teacher...1) arrives 15 minutes late to class daily...2) offers no help and refuses to answer questions...3) leaves the class and comes back 5 minutes later, we are still wondering where to...4) and she believes your sibling is god's send to writing...my siblings won every writing contest shes entered including the tri-regional, so its extra fun to hand in my unimaginative short stories. I've now dragged this on and if anyone has stuck around long enough, please, I'd like some answers.

[Tdol]

If you look here: http://userpages.burgoyne.com/bdespa...r/r_k_toc1.htm
11 & 12 in the left-had menu cover this.