Worked example
In “Swimming builds endurance,” what is the role of Swimming?
Answer & why
Answer: A gerund functioning as the subject
Swimming names the activity that is the sentence’s subject; builds is the finite verb.
Grade 10 · Reading & language
Identify a verbal’s role in a sentence
Distinguish gerunds, participles and infinitives by their form and grammatical role.
6 authored questions + worked example
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All questions
All 6 authored questions for this skill.
Question 1
In “Mina hopes to travel,” what is to travel?
- The finite main verb
- An infinitive phrase
- A gerund functioning as a noun
- A past participle modifying Mina
A hint
A gerund acts as a noun, a participle modifies a noun, and an infinitive often begins with to plus a base verb.
Answer & why
Answer: An infinitive phrase
To plus the base verb travel forms the infinitive; hopes is the finite verb.
Question 2
In “We enjoy gardening,” what is gardening?
- A gerund functioning as the object of enjoy
- An infinitive phrase
- A participle modifying We
- A finite past-tense verb
A hint
A gerund acts as a noun, a participle modifies a noun, and an infinitive often begins with to plus a base verb.
Answer & why
Answer: A gerund functioning as the object of enjoy
Gardening names the activity enjoyed and serves as a noun object.
Question 3
In “The glowing embers lit the room,” what is glowing?
- A gerund functioning as the subject
- An infinitive phrase
- The finite main verb
- A participle modifying embers
A hint
A gerund acts as a noun, a participle modifies a noun, and an infinitive often begins with to plus a base verb.
Answer & why
Answer: A participle modifying embers
Glowing describes embers; lit is the finite main verb.
Question 4
In “To compare the maps was our goal,” what is To compare the maps?
- A finite main verb
- An infinitive phrase functioning as the subject
- A preposition followed only by a noun
- A past participle modifying goal
A hint
A gerund acts as a noun, a participle modifies a noun, and an infinitive often begins with to plus a base verb.
Answer & why
Answer: An infinitive phrase functioning as the subject
The infinitive phrase names the activity that was the goal and functions as the subject.
Question 5
In “Swimming builds endurance,” what is the role of Swimming?
- A gerund functioning as the subject
- An infinitive beginning with to
- A participle modifying endurance
- The finite main verb
A hint
A gerund acts as a noun, a participle modifies a noun, and an infinitive often begins with to plus a base verb.
Answer & why
Answer: A gerund functioning as the subject
Swimming names the activity that is the sentence’s subject; builds is the finite verb.
Question 6
In “The broken gate blocked the path,” what is broken?
- A gerund functioning as the subject
- The finite main verb
- A participle modifying gate
- An infinitive beginning with to
A hint
A gerund acts as a noun, a participle modifies a noun, and an infinitive often begins with to plus a base verb.
Answer & why
Answer: A participle modifying gate
Broken describes the gate; blocked supplies the main action.