Grammar: B1 - ⚙️ Verbs in Depth: 🎭 Modals & 🌱 Non-Finite Verbs (Introduction) - Lesson 8: Verbs commonly followed by Gerunds (-ing form: enjoy, mind, finish + V-ing)

🌱 Lesson 8: Verbs Followed by Gerunds (-ing)

In English, when one verb follows another, the second verb can be an infinitive (to do) or a gerund¹ (doing). A gerund is the -ing form of a verb that acts like a noun. Today, we will learn about common verbs that must be followed by a gerund.

Common Verbs + Gerund

There is no simple rule for which verbs take a gerund, so it's best to learn them in groups. Here are some of the most common ones.

Structure: Subject + Verb + Gerund (-ing form)

• enjoy: I enjoy walking by the Sangker River in the evening.
• finish: He needs to finish writing his report.
• mind: Would you mind closing the door?
• avoid²: You should avoid driving too fast in the city center.
• suggest³: She suggested trying the noodles at a famous local restaurant.
• quit⁴ (or give up): My father quit smoking many years ago.
• keep: Even when he is tired, he keeps working.

A Very Important Rule: Prepositions + Gerund

There is one rule you can always rely on! If a verb comes directly after a preposition⁵ (like in, on, at, about, of, for, after, before), the verb MUST be in the gerund (-ing) form.

Example 1: "I am interested in learning more about Battambang's history."

Example 2: "Thank you for helping me."

Example 3: "Before leaving the house, I always check for my keys."

🧠 Practice Quiz: Complete the Sentence

Put the verb in brackets into the correct form.

1. I really enjoy _______ (listen) to Cambodian music.
   Answer: listening
2. Please finish _______ (clean) your room before you go out with your friends.
   Answer: cleaning
3. She is very good at _______ (remember) people's names.
   Answer: remembering (The verb follows the preposition 'at'.)
4. He suggested _______ (take) a tuk-tuk because it was too hot to walk.
   Answer: taking
5. They talked about _______ (go) to the cinema this weekend.
   Answer: going (The verb follows the preposition 'about'.)

📝 Homework: About You

Complete these sentences with your own ideas using a gerund.

1. I enjoy...
   (Example: I enjoy reading books in my free time.)
   _________________________________________
2. After finishing my work today, I plan on...
   (Example: After finishing my work today, I plan on meeting my friends for dinner.)
   _________________________________________
3. I try to avoid...
   (Example: I try to avoid drinking too much coffee.)
   _________________________________________

Vocabulary Glossary

1. Gerund: (Noun) - កិរិយានាម (kĕ'rĭ'yaa'néam) - A verb form which functions as a noun, ending in "-ing". ↩
2. Avoid: (Verb) - ជៀសវាង (chiəh'véang) - To stay away from someone or something. ↩
3. Suggest: (Verb) - ស្នើ (snaə) - To mention an idea, plan, or action for other people to consider. ↩
4. Quit: (Verb) - ឈប់ (chhôp) - To stop doing something. ↩
5. Preposition: (Noun) - ធ្នាក់ (tneăk) - A word that connects a noun or pronoun to another word in the sentence (e.g., in, at, for, on, about). ↩