participlegerund

Participlegerund is a term used in grammar to describe a single verb form, typically the English -ing form, that can function as both a gerund (a verbal noun) and a participle (a verbal adjective or part of a verb phrase). In English, the -ing form serves two broad roles: as a gerund and as a present participle.

As a gerund, the -ing form acts like a noun. It can serve as the subject or object of a sentence and may take modifiers or complements: Running is healthy. I enjoy running. Running a marathon requires training. In these cases, the form behaves syntactically like a noun.

As a present participle, the -ing form forms part of verb phrases to express ongoing action or functions as an adjective modifying a noun: The running water spilled over the rocks. A man running down the street waved. The phrase can also begin participial clauses: Feeling tired, he stayed home.

A key point about the term is its descriptive nature. In many grammars, the same -ing form is analyzed as either a gerund or a present participle depending on its syntactic function, rather than as two separate morphemes. Some grammars explicitly call this the gerund-participle or participlegerund, highlighting the dual role of the form. Others prefer distinct terms for the noun-like use and the adjective/verb-like use.

Cross-linguistic note: many languages distinguish gerunds and participles with different forms or inflections, whereas English relies on context and function for this dual behavior. See also: gerund, present participle, verbal noun.