1.7 –ing form

Forms: walking, interesting, reading.

For the spelling of –ing forms, see Spelling of –ing forms.

We can use the –ing form as a verb, as a noun and as an adjective. (When the –ing form is a verb, the form is called the present participle; see simple and continuous.)

When we use the –ing form as a noun, it is sometimes called a gerund. We use it for the activity corresponding to the verb. A gerund can be the subject of the sentence, e.g.:

Smoking is bad for your health. (Fumar et perjudica la salut.) (Not usually: To smoke is bad...)

Regular swimming keeps you fit. (Nedar regularment et manté en forma.)

A gerund can also be the object of the sentence, e.g.:

I like cycling but I don't like cycling in the rain. (M'agrada anar amb bici, però no m'agrada anar amb bici quan  plou.)

	See also verbs followed by the –ing form.

A gerund can also be the complement of a preposition, e.g.:

She's very afraid of falling. (Té molta por de caure.)

I'm looking forward to meeting you in person. (Em fa il·lusió conèixer-la en persona.)

They started without waiting to hear what I had to say. (Van començar sense esperar a sentir allò que els havia de dir.)

	See also participles

Notice the use of the –ing form after the following expressions: difficulty, no point in, no use, waste of time, worth, e.g.: We had some difficulty moving the fridge. (Teníem dificultats per a moure la nevera.) There's no point in getting up early. (No té sentit llevar-se d'hora.) It's no use waiting for Peter. (No té sentit esperar en Peter.) It's a waste of time listening to her excuses. (És una pèrdua de temps escoltar les seves excuses.) It's worth phoning to make an appointment. (Paga la pena trucar per demanar hora.)

Examples of the –ing form as an adjective:

an interesting book (un llibre interessant)

a very tiring journey (un viatge molt cansat) (Not: a very tired journey.)

Notice the different use of the words in pairs like interesting/interested, boring/bored, etc.: I am interested. (Hi estic interessada.) The film was interesting. (La pel·lícula era interessant.) The talk was boring; I was bored. (La xerrada era avorrida; estava avorrida.)