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Raen Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

gerund or just a plain noun?

Here's the sentence:

Our next job, to finish the painting, should be easy.

Answer: to finish the painting is a noun infinitive used as an appositive/ painting is a gerund used as the direct object to the verbal to finish

I underlined the part in question.

Doesn't "painting" simply mean a picture? Not a gerund which a verb turned into a noun by adding "ing" to the verb"? If the sentence said:

Our next job, to finish painting, should be easy.

I would have agreed it (painting) to be gerund. False?

Regards

Raen
  

Top answer

My first guess would have been "a picture" too. But if they are working on a house, they could have to lay the carpet, paint, put in the trim work, etc. In that case "the painting" could be the gerund meaning the task of applying paint to the walls.

— BarbaraPA

  • My first guess would have been "a picture" too.
  • But if they are working on a house, they could have to lay the carpet, paint, put in the trim work, etc.
  • In that case "the painting" could be the gerund meaning the task of applying paint to the walls.
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2 Answers
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My first guess would have been "a picture" too.

But if they are working on a house, they could have to lay the carpet, paint, put in the trim work, etc. In that case "the painting" could be the gerund meaning the task of applying paint to the walls.
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hmm........I see your point.

I have thought the article "the" disqualified "painting" from being a gerund. But you're right, it could very well be the task of applying paint to the walls .

Thank you GG.

Raen
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