Which term describes a noun phrase that includes a gerund and its object?

Which term describes a noun phrase that includes a gerund and its object?

• A. Participle Phrase
• B. Appositive
• C. Gerund Phrase
• D. Independent Clause

Answer: (C)

A gerund phrase describes a noun phrase built around a gerund and its object. A gerund is a verb form ending in -ing that functions as a noun. When you add the object (and any modifiers) to that gerund, the whole unit acts as a noun in the sentence. For example, in a sentence like “Eating pizza after work is relaxing,” the phrase “Eating pizza after work” centers on the gerund eating and its object pizza, plus the modifier after work, and it functions as the subject of the sentence. A participle phrase would modify a noun rather than serve as a noun itself; an appositive would rename a noun rather than form a noun phrase around a verb form; an independent clause is a complete sentence with its own subject and predicate, not a noun phrase. So the term that fits is gerund phrase.

A gerund phrase describes a noun phrase built around a gerund and its object. A gerund is a verb form ending in -ing that functions as a noun. When you add the object (and any modifiers) to that gerund, the whole unit acts as a noun in the sentence. For example, in a sentence like “Eating pizza after work is relaxing,” the phrase “Eating pizza after work” centers on the gerund eating and its object pizza, plus the modifier after work, and it functions as the subject of the sentence.

A participle phrase would modify a noun rather than serve as a noun itself; an appositive would rename a noun rather than form a noun phrase around a verb form; an independent clause is a complete sentence with its own subject and predicate, not a noun phrase. So the term that fits is gerund phrase.