picking

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wowenglish1

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I wonder if "picking" in the next sentence is "present progressive" or gerund.
If "picking" is gerund, I would like to know the reason.


What's the big idea, picking on a little girl like that?
 

bhaisahab

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I wonder if "picking" in the next sentence is "present progressive" or gerund.
If "picking" is gerund, I would like to know the reason.


What's the big idea, picking on a little girl like that?

It's a present participle.
 

Raymott

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I wonder if "picking" in the next sentence is "present progressive" or gerund.
If "picking" is gerund, I would like to know the reason.


What's the big idea, picking on a little girl like that?
The distinction to be made is whether it's a present participle or a gerund.
I'd call it a gerund, since "picking on a little girl like that" is in apposition to "idea" - they are both noun phrases.
Picking ... is the big idea.
The sentence is in the simple present tense.
 

TheParser

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I wonder if "picking" in the next sentence is "present progressive" or gerund.
If "picking" is gerund, I would like to know the reason.


What's the big idea, picking on a little girl like that?
***NOT A TEACHER***Perhaps some people might analyze your sentence as: What is the big idea (of your) picking on a little girl like that?" In that case, most people would probably construe "picking" as a gerund.
 

bhaisahab

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Some people might analyse it as being "What's the big idea, (to be) picking on a little girl like that" using the continuous form of the phrasal verb "to pick on".
 
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