Gerund or participle: He went fishing with his friends.

[Winwin2011]

http://www.myenglishgrammar.com/english/lesson-15-gerunds-and-present-participles.html

A present participle is used: after a verb.

Example: He went fishing with his friends.

http://www.grammaring.com/the-difference-between-the-gerund-and-the-present-participle

It may be worth remembering that a gerund always functions as a noun:

Object of a verb: Jill suggested going for a drink.
______________________________________________________________________

I was wondering if "fishing" is a participle as shown in the above example i.e He went fishing with his friends.

Could anybody help, please?

 

[MikeNewYork]

http://www.myenglishgrammar.com/english/lesson-15-gerunds-and-present-participles.html

A present participle is used: after a verb.

Example: He went fishing with his friends.

http://www.grammaring.com/the-difference-between-the-gerund-and-the-present-participle

It may be worth remembering that a gerund always functions as a noun:

Object of a verb: Jill suggested going for a drink.
______________________________________________________________________

I was wondering if "fishing" is a participle as shown in the above example i.e He went fishing with his friends.

Could anybody help, please?

Yes, it is the present participle of the verb "to fish".

 

[Winwin2011]

Yes, it is the present participle of the verb "to fish".

Thanks, Mike.

Gerund can be used as the object of a verb e.g I enjoy dancing. It seems that "fishing' is the object of "went" in the above context. I'm confused with the difference.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Thanks, Mike.

Gerund can be used as the object of a verb e.g I enjoy dancing. It seems that "fishing' is the object of "went" in the above context. I'm confused with the difference.

I don't see it as a gerund noun. The verb "go" sometimes functions as an auxiliary verb. In this construction I would call "went fishing" the verb. An alternative view is that "fishing" (a participle) acts as an adverb modifying the verb "went".

 

[Winwin2011]

I don't see it as a gerund noun. The verb "go" sometimes functions as an auxiliary verb. In this construction I would call "went fishing" the verb. An alternative view is that "fishing" (a participle) acts as an adverb modifying the verb "went".

Thanks, Mike.

I've just found the following website talking about the participle.

Participles (Partizipien)

The present participle can be used to describe the following verbs:
come, go, sit

Example: The girl sat crying on the sofa.

The present participle can also be used after verbs of the senses if we do not want to emphasise that the action was completed. (see Infinitive or Ing-Form)
feel, find, hear, listen to, notice, see, smell, watch

[FONT=&#26032]Example: Did you see him dancing?

[/FONT]_____________________________________________________

Does it mean that any -ing form of the verb following "come, go, sit" is a participle? If, it does. Does the rule apply to "come, go, sit" and verbs of the senses only?

 

[MikeNewYork]

Thanks, Mike.

I've just found the following website talking about the participle.

Participles (Partizipien)

The present participle can be used to describe the following verbs:
come, go, sit

Example: The girl sat crying on the sofa.

The present participle can also be used after verbs of the senses if we do not want to emphasise that the action was completed. (see Infinitive or Ing-Form)
feel, find, hear, listen to, notice, see, smell, watch

Example: Did you see him dancing?

_____________________________________________________

Does it mean that any -ing form of the verb following "come, go, sit" is a participle? If, it does. Does the rule apply to "come, go, sit" and verbs of the senses only?

Yes, -ing forms of verbs are either gerunds (nouns) or present participles. "Participles" can be part of the main verb in a sentence (e.g. The boy is flying a kite.) or can be a modifier (adjective or adverb).

 

[Winwin2011]

Yes, -ing forms of verbs are either gerunds (nouns) or present participles. "Participles" can be part of the main verb in a sentence (e.g. The boy is flying a kite.) or can be a modifier (adjective or adverb).

Thanks, mike.

I refer to the following information and have some follow-up questions as follows:

1. Participles (Partizipien)

The present participle can be used to describe the following verbs:
come, go, sit

Example: The girl sat crying on the sofa.

The present participle can also be used after verbs of the senses if we do not want to emphasise that the action was completed. (see Infinitive or Ing-Form)
feel, find, hear, listen to, notice, see, smell, watch

[FONT=&]Example: Did you see him dancing?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. The followings are copied from "Longman English Grammar" L.G. Alexander

16.40 Some common uses of the '-ing form (gerund)

16.40.3 As the object of a verb

I hear shouting.
[/FONT]____________________________________________________________________

In 1 the -ing form used used after verbs of the senses can be "Participles" e.g Did you see him dancing. Dancing is a participle. I think "Dancing " is used to modify "him" However, in 2 (L.G. Alexander) e.g I hear shouting. Shouting is a gerund.

I just want to confirm whether I am correct.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Thanks, mike.

I refer to the following information and have some follow-up questions as follows:

1. Participles (Partizipien)

The present participle can be used to describe the following verbs:
come, go, sit

Example: The girl sat crying on the sofa.

The present participle can also be used after verbs of the senses if we do not want to emphasise that the action was completed. (see Infinitive or Ing-Form)
feel, find, hear, listen to, notice, see, smell, watch

Example: Did you see him dancing?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. The followings are copied from "Longman English Grammar" L.G. Alexander

16.40 Some common uses of the '-ing form (gerund)

16.40.3 As the object of a verb

I hear shouting.
____________________________________________________________________

In 1 the -ing form used used after verbs of the senses can be "Participles" e.g Did you see him dancing. Dancing is a participle. However, in 2 (L.G. Alexander) e.g I hear shouting. Shouting is a gerund.

Would be obligied if you could further explained it to me.

There is a big difference between "I heard him shouting" and "I heard shouting". In the first, "shouting" is a participle, modifying "him". In the second "shouting" is a noun (gerund).

It is even worse if the discussion is about a female.

"I hear her shouting" is a problem, because "her" is both the possessive pronoun and the objective pronoun. Let's change the gender to clarify the matter.

I hear him shouting. (shouting is participial modifier)
I hear his shouting. (shouting is a gerund noun)

 

[Winwin2011]

There is a big difference between "I heard him shouting" and "I heard shouting". In the first, "shouting" is a participle, modifying "him". In the second "shouting" is a noun (gerund).

It is even worse if the discussion is about a female.

"I hear her shouting" is a problem, because "her" is both the possessive pronoun and the objective pronoun. Let's change the gender to clarify the matter.

I hear him shouting. (shouting is participial modifier)
I hear his shouting. (shouting is a gerund noun)

Many thanks, Mike.

I'm sorry that I edited my post when you were replying it. I think I got the difference.

Quoted "The present participle can be used to describe the following verbs:
come, go, sit

You said "The verb "go" sometimes functions as an auxiliary verb". Do "come" and "sit" sometimes function as auxiliary verbs as well?
Would be obliged if could give me some examples. Then I think I could fully understand the use of "particples".

 

[MikeNewYork]

Many thanks, Mike.

I'm sorry that I edited my post when you were replying it. I think I got the difference.

Quoted "The present participle can be used to describe the following verbs:
come, go, sit

You said "The verb "go" sometimes functions as an auxiliary verb". Do "come" and "sit" sometimes function as auxiliary verbs as well?
Would be obliged if could give me some examples. Then I think I could fully understand the use of "particples".

I have not heard "come" or "sit" described as auxiliary verbs.

 

[5jj]

There is a big difference between "I heard him shouting" and "I heard shouting". In the first, "shouting" is a participle, modifying "him". In the second "shouting" is a noun (gerund).

It is even worse if the discussion is about a female.

"I hear her shouting" is a problem, because "her" is both the possessive pronoun and the objective pronoun. Let's change the gender to clarify the matter.

I hear him shouting. (shouting is participial modifier)
I hear his shouting. (shouting is a gerund noun)

This is one of several reasons I dislike labelling for its own sake.

There was a famous debate in the 1920s in the tracts of the Society for Pure English between Fowler and Jespersen on a very closely related point. Some style guide writers have been arguing ever since whether it should be 'I hope you don't mind my mentioning it' or I hope you don't mind me mentioning it' and whether 'mentioning' is a present participle, a fused participle (Fowler's term) or a gerund. On the answer to these questions depends whether both forms are acceptable or only one and, if only one, which one. As Mike pointed out, when the pronoun/possessive determiner (and there is no universal agreement on these labels, either!) is 'her', there is no way of knowing.

Personally, I find the whole thing rather pointless. Grammatical labels were invented as a useful shorthand to help writers describe the language, not as straitjackets to imprison it.

I, and some writers today, simply call such forms a 'mentioning' the -ing form. As most people don't worry about one or both of the pronoun/possessive determiner groups being 'correct', it doesn't seem to matter.