The -ING Form in English: Lesson on Verbs and Adjectives

In English, a word that ends with the -ING suffix can be a present participle, a gerund, or an adjective.

In this lesson, we will simply explain how to recognize these different categories and how to use the -ING form correctly in English.

It’s going to be amazing (promise)!

The -ING form for the English Present Participle

The English present participle is a non-changing (invariable) verb form. It is constructed in a very simple way, by adding -ING to the base form of the verb, which means the infinitive without the preposition to.

For example, the present participle of the verb to walk is walking.

-ING with Be: The Present or Past Progressive

When combined with the auxiliary verb be, the -ING form is used for all progressive (continuous) tenses, such as the present progressive or past progressive. It simply indicates that the action is or was happening at a specific moment.

-ING with Perception, Movement, or Position Verbs

English has several verbs that specifically express:

• perception (example: to hear)
• movement (example: to go)
• position (example: to sit)

With these verbs, the present participle (-ING form) is frequently used.

-ING with Certain Verbs like spend, catch…

Some English verbs, when followed directly by an object (complement), need to be followed by a present participle (the -ING form). This is the case, for example, with:

• spend
• waste
• catch
• find

These complements can be an expression of time, quantity, a person, an object, etc.

-ING to express simultaneity or causality

The present participle in -ING can also express:

• Two similar actions: In this case, the conjunction while is used.
• Two actions with a cause-and-effect relationship: The preposition by is used.

The -ING Form for the English Gerund

In English, the gerund is invariable and is formed in exactly the same way as the present participle: by simply adding the letters -ING to the base form of the verb, which is the infinitive without the preposition to. For example, the gerund of the verb to talk is talking.

What differentiates the gerund from the present participle is not their spelling (which is identical) but their grammatical function: the gerund is used not as a verb but as a noun. It can be the subject, complement, or object of a sentence.

-ING as the subject of a sentence

When you want to make a verb the subject of your sentence, you must use the gerund.

-ING as a complement after the verb to be

The gerund is also used as a complement after the verb to be. Be careful: this is different from the progressive tenses (see above)! It is not used to express an ongoing action.

-ING after a preposition

The gerund is found after the use of an English preposition: in, at, to, on, of, by, with…

-ING to express a negation

Lastly, the gerund can also be used to indicate negation. In this case, you must place the adverb not before the gerund.

Choosing between the gerund and the infinitive in English

Should you say I stopped smoking or I stopped to smoke?

Answer: Both versions are correct, but they do not mean the same thing! Check out our dedicated lesson to learn how to properly distinguish between the gerund and the infinitive and choose the right form.

The -ING form for some English adjectives

In English, the -ING ending can be used not only to form present participles and gerunds but also adjectives! In this case, the word serves to describe or provide details about a noun.

For verbs that can be used in this way, the construction is similar to that of the present participle and the gerund: you simply add -ING to the base form of the verb, which is the infinitive without the preposition to. For example, the verb to inspire gives the adjective inspiring.

The difference between adjectives ending in –ING and those ending in -ED

In English, the same verb can form both an adjective ending in -ING and one ending in -ED. For example, to bore can give both boring and bored. However, be careful when choosing the correct ending, as it changes the meaning of the sentence!

Here is the rule to avoid confusion:

• adjectives that end with -ED generally describe emotions  
• Conversely, adjectives ending in -ING usually describe the cause of the emotion

Adjectives in -ING or -ED: 5 Examples

Here are 5 common verbs that can be transformed into adjectives ending in either -ING or -ED, along with their audio pronunciation:

Exercise on verbs and adjectives in -ING

Practice makes perfect! Complete the sentences using the correct -ING form (either verb or adjective). After completing the exercise, check your answers!

1. I am ______ (to sing) in the rain.
2. John came towards me ______ (to run).
3. It seems like my cat saw someone ______ (to walk) in the room…
4. That is very ______ (to disappoint) news!
5. I feel like I ______ (to waste) money buying this phone.
6. They found a raccoon ______ (to lie) in their garden!
7. ______ (to drink) alcohol before 6 pm is wrong.
8. My grandmother knows everything there is to know about ______ (to sew).
9. Jackson is very good at ______ (to paint).
10. I had a ______ (to frighten) encounter with a venomous snake!