Ron ran around the yard making sure that everything was cleared.

[JEic]

(a) Can I write my sentence like this?

- Roy ran around the yard making sure that everything was cleared.

(b) Using "making" (a gerund) sounds right, however, I am not sure if that makes "making" an object of the verb? If it's grammatically correct to write like this, I don't know what part of speech is this.

I'm learning to use gerunds in sentences.

 

[Tarheel]

The sentence is OK. (You don't need "that" there.)

**what part of speech this is
**how to use gerunds in sentences

 

[jutfrank]

(a) Can I write my sentence like this?

- Roy ran around the yard making sure that everything was cleared.

Yes, it's grammatical. What exactly do you mean by 'cleared'? There may be a better word choice there.

(b) Using "making" (a gerund) sounds right, however, I am not sure if that makes "making" an object of the verb?

Yes, the -ing form of the verb is correct but we wouldn't call it a 'gerund'. Call it a 'present participle' form or an '-ing form'.

If it's grammatically correct to write like this, I don't know what part of speech is this.

It's a verb. Don't worry too much about parts of speech. Just focus on the grammar. The complement clause making sure everything was cleared relates to the subject, Roy.

I'm learning to use gerunds in sentences.

Gerunds are when a verb that denotes an action is better understood a 'thing', in the way that a noun denotes a thing. Here's an example:

Reading improves general cognitive ability.
I'm not a huge fan of cycling.

You can understand reading and cycling as some'thing'.

 

[JEic]

Yes, the -ing form of the verb is correct but we wouldn't call it a 'gerund'. Call it a 'present participle' form or an '-ing form'.

I thought that participles or the '-ing form' cannot be used as a verb per se (like a tense) unless it is written as 'is making", "has been making" etc, functioning as part of a tense. I understand that it is a noun, a something like "swimming", "reading" etc. However, using just the '-ing form' as a verb per se is foreign to me.

 

[5jj]

- Roy ran around the yard making sure that everything was cleared.

Making is not a (finite part of the) verb

 

[JEic]

Making is not a (finite part of the) verb

My understanding is also the same, that "making" is not a verb but a present participle. Since it is not a verb, can it be called a gerund? I'm trying to understand the grammar of this sentence.

 

[5jj]

As Jutfrank said, "the -ing form of the verb is correct but we wouldn't call it a 'gerund'. Call it a 'present participle'".

 

[JEic]

As Jutfrank said, "the -ing form of the verb is correct but we wouldn't call it a 'gerund'. Call it a 'present participle'".

"Participles" can be used by itself acting as a verb (acting as a verb)?

 

[5jj]

"Participles" can be used by itself acting as a verb (acting as a verb)?

The present participle has some of the characteristics of a verb and of an adjective. It is not in itself a finite part of the verb. When used with the auxiliary verb BE, it forms the progressive aspect of a verb.

 

[Tarheel]

@JEic You need to work on subject/verb agreement.