What is the difference between a gerund and a present continuous?
Both a gerund and a present continuous come from a verb, and both end in –ing. However, each has a different function. A gerund acts like a noun while a present participle acts like a verb or adjective.
Snowboarding can be a gerund or a present participle.
When snowboarding is a gerund, it acts like a noun. It can be a subject, an object, the object of a preposition, or a subject complement.
- Snowboarding is a winter sport. [snowboarding = subject]
- I love snowboarding. [snowboarding = object ]
- I am excited by snowboarding. [snowboarding = object of a preposition]
- One popular sport is snowboarding. [snowboarding = subject complement]
When snowboarding is a present participle, it is part of a continuous verb tense.
- Right now, the athlete is snowboarding. [is snowboarding = present continuous]
- He was snowboarding yesterday afternoon. [was snowboarding = past continuous]
- Tomorrow, my friends and I are going to be snowboarding. [are going to be snowboarding = future continuous]
Unlike a gerund, a present participle can act like an adjective that modifies a noun or follows the be verb.
The word exciting is a present participle used as an adjective to modify a noun or to follow the verb to be.
- The exciting ride made the people scream. [adjective + noun]
- People enjoyed the exciting roller coaster. [adjective + noun]
- The roller coaster is exciting. [be verb + adjective]
https://portlandenglish.edu/difference-gerund-present-participle/
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