Which is correct?

[Casiopea]

You can add "s" because "meaning" as used in your sentence is not a verb acting as a verb, but a verb acting as a noun.

Gerunds are often referred to as "verbal nouns". I believe the adjective 'verbal' serves more to confuse than to enlighten.

Gerunds end in -ing, which makes them look like verbs, but they aren't verbs nor are they 'verbals'. They are, as RonBee points out, nominals.

I believe the term 'verbal noun' means, looks like a verb.

The gerunding that's been going on in this thread has been very interesting. :D

[jwschang]

You can add "s" because "meaning" as used in your sentence is not a verb acting as a verb, but a verb acting as a noun.

Gerunds are often referred to as "verbal nouns". I believe the adjective 'verbal' serves more to confuse than to enlighten.

Gerunds end in -ing, which makes them look like verbs, but they aren't verbs nor are they 'verbals'. They are, as RonBee points out, nominals.

I believe the term 'verbal noun' means, looks like a verb.

The gerunding that's been going on in this thread has been very interesting. :D

I think there's no disagreement here. Gerunds ARE nouns, but they are in the FORM of a verb. For practical reasons to avoid confusion, I think it is more effective that the non-native speaker understands gerunds as VERBS acting as nouns, especially when used with the verb DO, e.g. I do the cooking, etc. Many thanks for your and Ron's response. 8)

[jwschang]

Hello my teachers.................



Which is correct?

It has two meaning?

or

It has two meanings?

Can We add Plural S after ING ?

Thank you................................... :wink:

8)

You can add "s" because "meaning" as used in your sentence is not a verb acting as a verb, but a verb acting as a noun.

SUBJECT "It" (pronoun) + VERB "has" + OBJECT "two meanings" (adjective "two" describing noun "meanings").

I am afraid I must disagree. It is a noun acting as a noun. (It is in that sense the same as all the other ing words cited in this thread.)

:wink:

I'd like to disagree with what you disagreed. Gerunds are different from other words that end in "ing", e.g. ceiling vs cooking. Gerunds are the Continuous Participle (CP) form of a verb but used as a noun. Ceiling is not a CP simply because it is not derived from any verb infinitive, i.e. "Ceil" is not a verb. Meaning is the CP of To mean (verb, not adjective "mean" meaning kind of nasty)8)

[RonBee]

I don't think I would put meaning in the same category as cooking, but I understand your point (I think). If it works for you, go for it.

:wink:

[jwschang]

I don't think I would put meaning in the same category as cooking, but I understand your point (I think). If it works for you, go for it.

:wink:

Thanks, Ron. You got my meaning, but you're too fa away to get to try my cooking. :wink:

[RonBee]

:wink:

[jwschang]

:wink:

1. You were right about "meaning" being a noun and not a gerund.
2. Ceilings, floorings, awnings, etc are all nouns only, not gerunds.
3. Meanings, blessings, failings, feelings, washing (as in laundry) are also nouns, not gerunds. Only difference is that they have a TWIN in the gerund (to mean: meaning; to bless: blessing; to feel: feeling.
4. Cooking, swimming, repairing, sleeping are gerunds (which CANNOT be in the plural).

Must make up by letting you try my cooking should you come to Singapore. Cheers. :wink:

[RonBee]

I agree with you. :wink:

That is quite a good explanation.

:D