Gerunds, Present Participle, and Continuous Verb Tenses

A gerund is a noun that ends with ING. A gerund is the ING form of a verb, and a gerund is used as a noun.

For example:

Talking is easy.

Swimming is fun.

A present participle also ends with ING. A present participle is the ING form of a verb, and a present participle is one of the components of each of the continuous verb tenses.

For example:

past continuous was talking /were talking

Example: I was talking with Rocio when Limon started to bark at the gardener.

present continuous is talking/am talking/are talking

Example: Right now, we are talking with each other.

future continuous will be talking

Example: We will be talking to each other while someone in your house is still sleeping.

past perfect continuous had been talking

Example: Alma and her boyfriend had been talking when someone knocked on the front door.

present perfect continuous have been talking/has been talking

Example: We have been talking for almost 30 minutes.

future perfect continuous will have been talking

In 5 minutes, we will have been talking for 30 minutes.

You need not worry about memorizing and using all of the continuous verb tenses!

If you are curious or confused accept that a word such as talking, swimming, flying, eating, etc can be a present participle or a gerund, depending on how it is used in a sentence.

A present participle is part of a continuous verb tense. A gerund is a noun.

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Remember that even though there are 12 verb tenses in English, only 5 of those verb tenses are essential to be able to understand and be understood clearly and correctly in English.

The 5 essential verb tenses are

simple past

(affirmative) I talked with Ricardo on Saturday.

(affirmative) II walked with Limon last month.

(negative) I didn't walk with Limon yesterday.

(yes/no) Did you blah blah blah?

(yes/no) Were you married?

simple present

(affirmative) Ricardo and I talk with each other every week.

(affirmative) I Rocio and Limon walk in the neighborhood every morning.

simple future

(affirmative) I will talk with Ricardo on Monday.

= (affirmative) I am going to talk with Ricardo on Monday.(affirmative) I

(affirmative) I am going to walk with Limon next month.

present continuous

(negative) I am not talking with Ricardo now.

(affirmative) Rocio is talking with Alexia right now.

present perfect

(negative) Ricardo and I haven't talked with each other multiple times per week for the past several weeks.