What Verbs End in -ing?
Verbs ending in -ing are incredibly versatile forms in the English language, primarily functioning as present participles or gerunds. They are integral to expressing ongoing actions or transforming verbs into nouns.
Understanding Verbs Ending in -ing
The -ing form of a verb can serve two main grammatical purposes:
- Present Participle: When used as a present participle, the -ing verb helps form continuous (or progressive) tenses, indicating an action that is currently happening, was happening, or will be happening. It can also act as an adjective.
- Example: She is reading a book. (Continuous tense)
- Example: The running water was cold. (Adjective)
- Gerund: When used as a gerund, the -ing verb functions as a noun. It can be the subject of a sentence, a direct object, an indirect object, or the object of a preposition.
- Example: Swimming is my favorite exercise. (Subject)
- Example: He enjoys fishing. (Direct object)
Common Verbs and Their -ing Forms
Many common verbs can take on the -ing ending. Here is a comprehensive list of some frequently encountered verbs and their -ing forms, illustrating how base verbs transform for various grammatical constructions:
| Verb | “ing” Form |
|---|---|
| Enjoy | Enjoying |
| Cook | Cooking |
| Speak | Speaking |
| Watch | Watching |
| Run | Running |
| Play | Playing |
| Write | Writing |
| Read | Reading |
| Sing | Singing |
| Dance | Dancing |
This list showcases how the -ing suffix is appended to the base form of the verb. For more examples, you can refer to resources like this Your Grammar Quick Guide - Forms of Verbs Ending in -ing.
Examples in Sentences
To further illustrate their usage, consider these examples:
- As Present Participles (Continuous Tenses):
- They are eating dinner right now.
- She was studying all night for her exam.
- We will be traveling to Europe next month.
- As Gerunds (Nouns):
- Learning new things is always rewarding.
- He is good at problem-solving.
- I hate waiting in long lines.
Formation Rules for -ing Verbs
While most verbs simply add -ing to their base form, some have specific spelling rules:
- Verbs ending in a single 'e': Drop the 'e' before adding -ing.
- Make → Making
- Write → Writing
- Verbs ending in a consonant + vowel + consonant (CVC) and stressed on the last syllable: Double the final consonant before adding -ing.
- Run → Running
- Swim → Swimming
- Verbs ending in 'ie': Change 'ie' to 'y' before adding -ing.
- Lie → Lying
- Die → Dying
Understanding these forms allows for precise and descriptive communication, enabling speakers and writers to convey ongoing actions, express preferences, and create more complex sentence structures.
