[Grammar] Walking: as a verb, noun, or adjective?

[chr0710]

Hi, I just wanted to make sure I understand the distinction between walking as a verb, adjective or noun. Can anyone help me with this?

Walking is my favorite activity.

• walking is a noun (gerund) and the subject?

I am walking.

• is a verb in the present participle?

I'm going walking for in Iceland.

• Is walking a noun or verb here?

I'm going to walk for two days.

• Walk must be a verb in the infinitive form?

These are my walking boots.

• is this a compound noun where walking an adjective describing the noun boots?

I want to help you walk again

• a verb?

We need to improve your walking patterns.

• walking is an adjective describing the noun patterns?

To walk is the best thing i know of.
(walk = a noun right?)

I love to walk
(walk = a noun?)

 

[PaulMatthews]

Hi, I just wanted to make sure I understand the distinction between walking as a verb, adjective or noun. Can anyone help me with this?

Walking is my favorite activity.

• walking is a noun (gerund) and the subject?

"Walking" is strictly speaking ambiguous, though verb analysis preferred. Noun interpretation can be forced by adjectival premodification as in "Brisk walking is my favourite activity". Yes, it is the subject.

I am walking.

• is a verb in the present participle?

Yes, it is part of the progressive verb phrase "am walking".

I'm going walking in Iceland.

• Is walking a noun or verb here?

It is a verb, part of the verb phrase "am going walking".

I'm going to walk for two days.

• Walk must be a verb in the infinitive form?

Yes.

These are my walking boots.

• is this a compound noun where walking an adjective describing the noun boots?

No, it is a verb premodifying the noun "boots"

I want to help you walk again

• a verb?

Yes, it is a bare infinitival verb as head of the clause "walk again".

We need to improve your walking patterns.

• walking is an adjective describing the noun patterns?

No, it is a verb premodifying the noun "patterns".

To walk is the best thing i know of.
(walk = a noun right?)

Yes, an infinitival verb as head of a clause that functions as subject of the sentence.

I love to walk
(walk = a noun?)

No, an infinitival verb. Note that it can be modified by an adverb as in "I love to briskly walk".

You asked about the difference between participles vs adjectives, and gerunds vs nouns two days ago. Did you not understand the answers you received?

 

[chr0710]

Hi Paul. Once again, thank you for your great answer. It's much appreciated.


I do have 2 questions for you




Can you help clarify why walking patterns or walking boots are not compound nouns because when I look at compound nouns like:
Swimming pool and fishing pole, it looks the same to me? What type of boots are they? Walking boots (so walking act's like an adjective?)




So in all the following examples, we have a verb (not a noun) because I can add adverbs to modify it.
I love to walk
I love to cook,
I love to sing
I want to sing
I have to walk.
I need to walk.

So if I understood you correctly regarding gerunds as nouns vs verbs:
* slow walking is my favorite activity (walking is a noun because of the adjective slow)
* Walking slowly is my favorite activity (Walking is a verb because slowly is an adverb modifying the verb)
* Quick cooking is my favorite activity ( cooking = noun)
* Cooking slowly is my favorite activity ( cooking = verb)

 

[PaulMatthews]

Hi Paul. Once again, thank you for your great answer. It's much appreciated.

I do have 2 questions for you

Can you help clarify why walking patterns or walking boots are not compound nouns because when I look at compound nouns like:
Swimming pool and fishing pole, it looks the same to me? What type of boots are they? Walking boots (so walking act's like an adjective?)

PM: It is best to think of compound words as being single words "Walking patterns" and "walking boots" are composite noun phrases comprising head+modifier. Likewise "swimming pool" and "fishing pole".

So in all the following examples, we have a verb (not a noun) because I can add adverbs to modify it.
I love to walk
I love to cook,
I love to sing
I want to sing
I have to walk.
I need to walk.

PM: Yes, infinitival verb-forms can only be verbs.

So if I understood you correctly regarding gerunds as nouns vs verbs:
* slow walking is my favorite activity (walking is a noun because of the adjective slow)
* Walking slowly is my favorite activity (Walking is a verb because slowly is an adverb modifying the verb)
* Quick cooking is my favorite activity ( cooking = noun)
* Cooking slowly is my favorite activity ( cooking = verb)

PM: Yes, cf. also "I like slowly walking my dog in the park".