Gerunds as adverbs?

Question

What part of speech is "running" is this sentence?

I went running.

My understanding is that gerunds are present participles used as nouns. I have also been taught that adverbs tell how, when, where, why, to what extent, how often, how much and under what condition. So is this a gerund functioning as an adverb?

Thank you so much for your help.

Mamaverde

Dimsumexpress · Accepted Answer

How is this for an analysis?
I like [chocolate]. - Chocolate is a noun

I like [cooking] - Cooking is a noun (gerund)
Thus, I went [running] or [shopping] are gerunds.

However, I saw him washing his car this morning. -Washing is a present particple describing what he was doing when you saw him. In this case, it functions adverbially.

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousI went running. ... So is this a gerund functioning as an adverb?

go (went) is intransitive, so you can't have an noun object, so it can't be a gerund. It might be considered an adverbial participle.

On the other hand, if your interpretation is I went to do (the activity of) running / jogging / etc., you have a case for a gerund.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks for your feedback.

BillJ · Answer

dimsumexpressI saw him washing his car this morning. -Washing is a present particple describing what he was doing when you saw him. In this case, it functions adverbially.

'Washing' is a verb here, because that's how it's functioning. Just because a word is participial in form says nothing about what its syntactic function is.

In the sentence "I saw him washing his car this morning", the intervening noun "him" is direct object of "saw" and the understood subject of the gerund-participial clause "washing his car this morning", which is functioning as catenative complement of "saw".

I saw him [washing his car this morning].

The subordinate object clause is analysed as:

"washing" (verb as head) - "his car" (obj) - "this morning" (temporal adjunct)

BillJ

English 1b3 · Answer

Dim, I've been reading some of your posts over the last few weeks and have noticed you're often misleading people. Your knowledge on the subject is impressive for a non-native, but I do think you should let the more experienced answer these questions first. Or if you do wish to continue answering first, perhaps you should mention that it is just your opinion and you are not entirely sure about your answer. No one wants to be misled, so it is just lucky that we have experts, such as CJ and BillJ, who came across this question and cleared this up. I mean not to offend. I just think the forum will be of better use to everybody this way. Of course, you don't have to listen to me. <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

Dimsumexpress · Answer

Hi BillJ,

If my analytical is wrong, then, I may have to ask my old teacher to review his notes.

Still, this is my approach:
I (subj) saw (verb) him(object) washing his car (noun phrase) this morning( time adverbial)

Thus, I saw him = a complete sentence. [<-Washing his car is morning->] = a noun phrase which (to me) functioned as an non-finite clause (or adverbial).

If this approach is disagreed, I like to get a second opinion from the an American expert. Thanks for the comment.

Inchoateknowledge · Answer

Subject, object, and adjunct are related to function. On the other hand, NP is a formal quality of words. We should not confuse the two distinct notions.

-----------------
I saw him washing his car this morning.

him = OD
(while he was) washing his car this morning = reduced adverbial clause; an optional predicate adjunct (SVO and not SVOA)

I saw him (while he was) washing his car this morning. = SVO

------------------

I saw him washing his car.
(While I was) Washing his car, I saw him.

washing his car = sentence adjunct

--------------
I saw his (not him) washing his car. = MC (matrix clause)
his washing his car = SC (sub) = OD

Dimsumexpress · Answer

InchoateknowledgeI saw him washing his car.
(While I was) Washing his car, I saw him.

washing his car = sentence adjunct

--
I saw his (not him) washing his car. = MC (matrix clause)

his washing his car = SC (sub) = OD

I saw his (not him) washing his car. = MC (matrix clause)
Are you poistive?

I am sorry, I couldn't follow....[:^)]

Dimsumexpress · Answer

English 1b3,
I've never made claims to be an expert and I have repeatedly made disclaimers about my opinins when I wasn't completely sure. Do you dispute this statement? Most of us, (native or non-ative alike) have one time or another posted misspelled, misinformed, misinterpreted, or misunderstood comment, including you and me. So how do you mean "mislead"? I admit there are times I may have been treading in waters I shouldn't have as I am not completely equipped to deal with those questions with profund linguistic implications. But I would make my statement an opinion.

English 1b3I've been reading some of your posts over the last few weeks and have noticed you're often misleading people.

I also have followed your threads but as I said, you had a tendency to either check and argue about the answer, even from a native speaker, and of course from me a few times. So I am not so inclined to get involved with your posts. If I had mislead you, please, refresh me. I would like to know what I said to mislead you.
It's funny this comment came from you as you were so sure about run-on sentences.

English 1b3 I mean not to offend. I just think the forum will be of better use to everybody this way. Of course, you don't have to listen to me.

English 1b3Your knowledge on the subject is impressive for a non-native,

I don't come to the forum to impress but to lend a helping hand. If at times, the answers I offerred were wrong, I'd like to be sorted out with reasons and I truly appreciated and respected a few people whose name I rather not mention but had straightened me out. That's my opinion.

Mamaverde · Answer

Hi CJ,
Just checked back on this post and it is very clear I have a lot to learn! Thanks for helping.

Regarding the two scenarios, my intention was scenario two: running as an activity.

I went running. Running is fun.
Would you agree that running is a gerund in both of these sentences?

I have been taught that "home" is an adverbial noun in this sentence:
I went home. (Answers question where). Would you agree?

So does running answer the where question and function as an adverb in the first example? I found a term I was unfamilar with in trying to further my understanding of grammar: Catenative. Is went a catenative verb?

Thanks again!
Mamaverde

Gerunds as adverbs?

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