Is the gerund being used as a subject, predicate nominative, direct object, or object of the preposition in the following sentences and why?
For a crisp texture, avoid overlooking the vegetables.
Omar preferred watching the hockey game.
Overcooking, a gerund, is the direct object of the verb "avoid."
What do you think about the second sentence.
I am thinking direct object too because it answers the question preferred what?
Right. :-)
Can you verify a few more for me?
For Joanna, making a paper mâché globe was a messy project.
I am thinking either subject or predicate nominative?
"Making a paper mâché globe" is the subject of the verb "was."
What about this one?
Marcello's specialty is sculpting.
I am thinking predicate nominative because it restates her specialty or direct object because it answers the question is what?
You are right! :-)
Do you mean either one could be correct predicate nominative or direct object?
It's a predicate nominative because it follows the linking verb "is."
To determine the role of the gerund in a sentence, we need to understand how it functions in relation to the other words. Let's analyze the given sentences:
1. "For a crisp texture, avoid overlooking the vegetables."
Here, the gerund "overlooking" functions as the object of the preposition "avoid." The prepositional phrase "avoid overlooking" answers the question "what to avoid." The entire phrase "overlooking the vegetables" acts as the direct object of the verb "avoid."
2. "Omar preferred watching the hockey game."
In this sentence, the gerund "watching" serves as the direct object of the verb "preferred." It answers the question "what did Omar prefer?" The word "watching" is a gerund because it functions as a noun, specifically as the object of the verb "preferred."