Verbal nouns - Easy Learning Grammar
- The screaming of the brakes terrified me.
- Smoking is prohibited.
- He gave a reading from his latest volume of poetry.
- The takings were down this week in the shop.
- Her marvellous singing won Helen the scholarship.
- as a subject.
- Driving was impossible.
- as the complement of the verb be.
- Seeing is believing.
- His greatest pleasure is working.
- as an object after certain verbs. See also The to infinitive and the -ing form.
- Louisa likes swimming but Helen prefers diving.
- after prepositions to make a prepositional phrase.
- Can you watch them without laughing?
- after some phrasal verbs such as: be for/against, give up, keep on, look forward to, put off.
- She was all for leaving immediately.
- Linda gave up swimming but she kept on dieting.
- They were looking forward to writing home.
- after certain set expressions such as: can’t stand, can’t help, it’s no use/good.
- I can’t stand waiting around.
- I can’t help getting cross.
- It’s no use crying over spilt milk.
- Anna left the house without my knowing.
- The verbal noun also has:
- a perfect form: having …ed.
- Martin was accused of having cheated.
- a passive form: being …ed.
- Being asked did not bother me.
- a perfect passive form: having been …ed.
- The car showed no sign of having been touched.
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