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Guyper Posted 15 years ago
Vocabulary

Gerunds as nouns

Hi, I'd like to ask if any gerunds can be used as nouns to replace any genuine nouns such as

1.The customer wants to file a complaint letter

instead of

The customer wants to file a complaining letter

Thank you
  

Top answer

The customer wants to file the complaint letter You should use definite article as you are talking about the concrete letter. The second sentence: Guyper The customer wants to file a complaining letter is incorrect. Guyper Hi, I'd like to ask if any gerunds can be used as nouns to replace any genuine nouns such as In my opinion, if there is a noun that has the meaning you need you shouldn't use Gerund.

— Skif

  • The customer wants to file the complaint letter You should use definite article as you are talking about the concrete letter.
  • The second sentence: Guyper The customer wants to file a complaining letter is incorrect.
  • Guyper Hi, I'd like to ask if any gerunds can be used as nouns to replace any genuine nouns such as In my opinion, if there is a noun that has the meaning you need you shouldn't use Gerund.
  • As Gerund is formed on the base of verbs and usually acts as noun it's logically(fod me) that it isn't used when there is(already) the noun that means the same.
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2 Answers
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The customer wants to file the complaint letter
You should use definite article as you are talking about the concrete letter.

The second sentence:
Guyper The customer wants to file a complaining letter
is incorrect.
GuyperHi, I'd like to ask if any gerunds can be used as nou
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Dear Guyper,

We can use -ing forms(e.g. smoking,walking) not only as verbs, but also like adjectives or nouns.

compare:

You're smoking too much these days.(verb:part of present progressive)

There was a smoking cigarrete end in the ashtray.(adjective describing cigarrete end)

Smoking is bad for you.(noun: subject of
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