中江表妹小品全集词:小议动名词(记忆大量的英语语法概念却读不懂英语文章很可能是另一种形式的本末倒置)

小议动名词

动名词用英语说是gerund，我们先来学习一下这个单词：

gerund[5dVerEnd]n.【语】英语动名词，拉丁语教师，

学究式的老师

请大家试一试用慢读五遍的方法来练习熟悉这个单词：

gerund：ge [5dVe]——rund[rEnd]

可能需要大家注意的是rund中的u的发音是 [E]。

请大家一定要慢读，像我们慢读“汉——语”一样把一个单词分成几个部分来读。相信你只要读到第三遍就已经会写这个单词了。

友情提示：一个单词你只要会读也就基本上会写了，根本用不着把它分成一个一个的字母去“背”。请大家试一试，看看我说得对不对。而当大家没有“背”单词的负担，相信阅读英语文章也就变成一件轻松有趣的事情。

那么什么是动名词呢？

请读一读下面这句话：

A gerund is a verbal that ends in -ing and functions as a noun.

verbal[5vE:bEl]n.【语】动词的非限定形式(gerund, infinitive, participle) adj.言辞上的, 字句的, 口头的，动词(性质)的（verb+al）

verb[vE:b]n.[语]动词

function[5fQNkFEn]v.活动, 运行,n.官能, 功能(funct+ion)

如果你熟悉fun，相信记忆function已经不难。

可以读懂这句话吗？

如果读不懂，请你暂时不要再研究“动名词”了。请把精力放在听懂、读懂《新概念英语》第三册的课文上（请大家至少熟读其中的五课）。

下面请大家再读一读下面这一段：

A gerund is a verbal that ends in -ing and functions as a noun. The term verbal indicates that a gerund, like the other two kinds of verbals, is based on a verb and therefore expresses action or a state of being.

term[tE:m]n.学期, 期限, 期间, 条款, 条件, 术语

联想记忆 ：

team[ti:m]n.队, 组

base on  v.基于

indicate[5indikeit]vt.指示; 指出，表明（in+dic+ate）

dic, dict表“语言或文字”，请复习一下diction, dictionary, predict， prediction。

therefore[5TZEfC:]adv.因此, 所以（there+fore）

希望大家能读懂上面这一段话。下去我们再来读一段:

However, since a gerund functions as a noun, it occupies some positions in a sentence that a noun ordinarily would, for example: subject, direct object, subject complement, and object of preposition.

complement[5kCmplimEnt]n.补足物, [文法]补语, [数]余角(com+ple+ment)

联想记忆：

compliment[5kCmplimEnt]n.称赞, 恭维, 致意, 问候, 道贺vt.称赞, 褒扬, 恭维（com+pli+ment）

相信大家注意一下complement中间的“ple”、compliment中间的“pli”，你一定能够很轻松地掌握这两个单词。com-是很常见的前缀，而-ment也是常用的名词后缀。大家如果经常读博客里的文章相信早就已经掌握了。

preposition[7prepE5ziFEn]n.【语】前置词; 介词，前面的位置（pre+posit+ion）

相信大家要是掌握了preposition这个单词要比你硬记“前置词”或“介词”的概念更容易读懂英语句子。

pre-在……前，前

posit[5pCzit]v.安置

position[pE5ziFEn]n.位置, 职位, 立场(posit+ion)

如果大家掌握了preposition，相信也可以比较容易地掌握proposition：

proposition[7prCpE5ziFEn]n.主张, 建议, 陈述, 命题(pro+position)

读一读，比一比：preposition —  proposition

我们在前面的文章里曾经特别建议大家熟悉subject、object、adjective。如果还不熟悉，请现在就尝试通过自学掌握它们。

下面的内容请大家大概地读一读：

Gerund as subject:

·         Traveling might satisfy your desire for new experiences. (Traveling is the gerund.)

·         The study abroad program might satisfy your desire for new experiences. (The gerund has been removed.)

Gerund as direct object:

·         They do not appreciate my singing. (The gerund is singing.)

·         They do not appreciate my assistance. (The gerund has been removed)

Gerund as subject complement:

·         My cat's favorite activity is sleeping. (The gerund is sleeping.)

·         My cat's favorite food is salmon. (The gerund has been removed.)

Gerund as object of preposition:

·         The police arrested him for speeding. (The gerund is speeding.)

·         The police arrested him for criminal activity. (The gerund has been removed.)

A Gerund Phrase is a group of words consisting of a gerund and the modifier(s) and/or (pro)noun(s) or noun phrase(s) that function as the direct object(s), indirect object(s), or complement(s) of the action or state expressed in the gerund, such as:

The gerund phrase functions as the subject of the sentence.

Finding a needle in a haystack would be easier than what we're trying to do.

Finding (gerund)
a needle (direct object of action expressed in gerund)
in a haystack (prepositional phrase as adverb)

The gerund phrase functions as the direct object of the verb appreciate.

I hope that you appreciate my offering you this opportunity.

my (possessive pronoun adjective form, modifying the gerund)
offering (gerund)
you (indirect object of action expressed in gerund)
this opportunity (direct object of action expressed in gerund)

The gerund phrase functions as the subject complement.

Newt's favorite tactic has been lying to his constituents.

lying to (gerund)
his constituents (direct object of action expressed in gerund)

The gerund phrase functions as the object of the preposition for.

You might get in trouble for faking an illness to avoid work.

faking (gerund)
an illness (direct object of action expressed in gerund)
to avoid work (infinitive phrase as adverb)

The gerund phrase functions as the subject of the sentence.

Being the boss made Jeff feel uneasy.

Being (gerund)
the boss (subject complement for Jeff, via state of being expressed in gerund)

Punctuation

A gerund virtually never requires any punctuation with it.

Points to remember:

1.    A gerund is a verbal ending in -ing that is used as a noun.

2.    A gerund phrase consists of a gerund plus modifier(s), object(s), and/or complement(s).

3.    Gerunds and gerund phrases virtually never require punctuation.