Gerund phrases may perform all the functions that nouns are capable of fulfilling.
SUBJECT OF VERB Her cleaning her house every day is not necessary.
OBJECT OF VERB Her husband appreciates her cleaning the house every day.
OBJECT OF PREPOSITION
In prepositional object Her husband insists on her cleaning the house every day.
In adverbial object By cleaning the house every day she is pleasing her husband.
SUBJECTIVE COMPLEMENT What her husband insists on is her cleaning the house every day.
(predicate noun)
APPOSITIVE Her husband insists on one thing -- her cleaning the house every day.
The "-ing" form is neutral with respect to time; the time that is intended often depends on the tense or the meaning of the main verb.
PRESENT TIME By repairing the tv set himself, he is saving a lot of meney.
PAST TIME By repairing the tv set himself, he saved a lot of money.
FUTURE TIME By repairing the tv set himself, he will save a lot of money.
If the main verb is present or future, the perfect form corresponds to the present perfect tense.
His having worked in a factory is no disgrace. (=That he has worked in a factory is no disgrace.)
He will never admit having done it. (=He will never admit that he has done it.)
If the main verb is past, the perfect gerund corresponds to the past perfect tense.
He denied having taken any money from the cash register. (=He denied that he had taken any money from the cash register.)
The refugee grieved at having left his wife and children behind. (=The refugee grieved that he had left his wife and children behind.)
The "-ing" general form is often used loosely instead of the perfect form for gerund object of verb:
He denied taking any money from the cash register.
In formal usage, possessive form of nouns and pronouns are required:
The idea of Harold's getting a job as a traveling salesman doesn't appeal to his wife.
The girl resents her sister's getting more attention than she does.
Gerund phrase after a main verb: especially such verbs as (dis) like, not mind, remember, understand, imagine.
- We can't understand them doing a thing like that.
- I remember my father being very strict with us.
- Can you imagine him being elected president?
ABOUT He's very careless about keeping appointments.
FOR Their funds are adequate for meeting their moderate needs.
OF He's afraid of displeasing his parents.
I don't approve of a woman walking by herself late at night.
She was proud of her son winning first prize.
WITH They must be content with seeing each other at infrequent intervals. (happy)
BY I was annoyed by the dog's barking all night.
WITHOUT She went there without him knowing about it.
