English Café: Prepositions and -ing words

Advanced Details: Prepositions and v.-ing words

A preposition is followed by a “noun,” including gerunds. A gerund is the v.-ing noun form that we can make from verbs.

IMPORTANT: So, if you want to write a verb, directly after a preposition (and some verbs, including multi-word verbs, like enjoy); this following verb must be in its -ing form (gerund). Here are some example verbs in blue followed by bold gerunds:

• Siri enjoys playing with her children.
• The mechanic taught troubleshooting to us. or The mechanic taught us troubleshooting.
• She isn’t afraid of flying in the helicopters.
• The contractors are capable of doing hard work.