§ 210. The ing-form as predicative is usually used after the link-verbs to be, to mean and to look and has appositive meaning.

e.g. The important part is helping people so that they can live

normal lives.

I can't ask him for help. That would mean telling him every- thing about you and myself.

For the means of expressing the subject of the action denoted by the ing-form see "Verbs", § 166.

The ing-form as predicative is often preceded by like. It also has appositive meaning here, but the explanation is made by way of comparison.

e.g. To read his novels was like swimming in a lake so clear that you could see the bottom.

At the time their quarrel looked like going on for ever. Andrew looked like a small boy being teased.

Instances of the ing-form as predicative are scarce. Note. The ing-form as predicative is sometimes adjectivized.

e.g. That must be enormously exciting.

The journey was slow, rough and tiring and took us eleven days.

Hugh's tone got more and more insulting.

If the ing-form, were not adjectivized it would be taken for a continuous form. e.g. The quarrel ought to be stopped. They are insulting each other.

(For comparison with the infinitive see §§ 182 and 236.)

The ing-form as Predicate § 211. The ing-iorm, as predicate is restricted to two sentence

patterns:

1) interrogative sentences beginning with what about and how

about and implying suggestion,

e.g. What about going to London?

How about seeing what they are doing now?

2) exclamatory sentences expressing indignation, e.g. But letting him do it!

Sentences of both kinds are quite common in spoken English. (For comparison with the infinitive see § 183.)

The ing-form as Part of a Compound Verbal Predicate § 212. The ing form is lexically dependent in this function — it is used after a number of verbs denoting motion or position. They are: to come, to disappear, to go, to go out (round, around, about), to lie, to sit, to sit around (round), to stand, to stand around (round).

e.g. They came rushing in, laughing.

They had often gone fishing in those days. Are we going out dancing tonight?

He went about sniffing the air but there was no trace of gas.

They all sat around feeling very proud.

"I'm ready," he said to Maurice and stood waiting.

Next morning I woke early and lay listening to the clatter of

dishes in the kitchen. He disappeared walking, there was no noise, nothing.

The two verbs of the combination form a close sense-unit. The first component has a weakened meaning and mainly serves as a fi- nite verb, while the meaning of the ing-form is quite prominent and determines the meaning of the whole combination.

e.g. In that mood I entered the bedroom, where Sheila was lying

reading, her book near the bedside lamp.

Sometimes she fell into despondency and sat doing nothing at all, neither reading nor sewing for half an hour at a time.

Note. Note the following set phrases:

e.g. I burst out laughing, and the others followed. All at once she burst out crying.

(For comparison with the infinitive see § 184.)

The ing-form as a Second Action Accompanying

the astion of the predicate verb. the Action of the Predicate Verb

§ 213. The ing-form may express a second action accom- anying the action expressed by the predicate verb. The subject of the ing-form is the same as the subject of the sentence. The ing-form in this function refers not to the predicate verb alone but to the whole predicate group. It does not form any close sense-unit with the predicate verb and can be found with verbal as well as with nominal predicates. The ing-form is not lexically dependent in this function.

e.g. They ran up the stairs brimming with excitement.

ou can't just sit there being talked about. I felt uneasy being alone with him in that large house. Martha was upstairs getting ready. When I looked up he was still there waiting for me. She was sitting in the doorway of the tent reading.

As a rule, the ing-form follows the predicate group (see the examples above). But it may also be placed at the head of the sen- tence or between the subject and the predicate, e.g. Coming into my office one evening in the autumn, he said

shyly: "Doing anything tonight?" Watching them with bold, excited eyes, Simon discussed their

characters.

I made to go out, but Roger, frowning, shook his head. In the taxi going home, Margaret, holding my hand against

her cheek, said: "You made a mistake, you know."

Note 1. When the ing-form is used to denote a second action, it is often sepa- rated by a comma from the rest of the sentence.

Note 2. The ing-forms of certain verbs have come to be used as prepositions or conjunctions. Care should be taken to distinguish them from the real ing forms.

e.g. Several officials, including me, had been invited.

He says he will be at the meeting place for three nights running next week

beginning on Monday. Well, considering that Hector's a politician, you can't say that he's altogether

a fool.

Presuming the old man gets better and comes back to the job, then what?

Supposing you sold the land, what could you get for it?

"That will be all right, barring accidents" I told him at once.

Note 3. Note that taking all things into consideration (account) has become a set phrase, e.g. Taking all things into consideration, I decided to tear my letter up.

In the vast majority of sentences we find a simple ing-iorm which expresses an action simultaneous with that of the predicate verb (see the examples above). Yet if both the predicate verb and the ing-form are expressed by terminative verbs, the action of the ing-form precedes that of the predicate verb. The ing-form in this case is placed before the predicate, e.g. Turning to his hostess, he remarked: "It's been a nice day."

(=He first turned to his hostess and then remarked.) Recovering from his excitement, he became practical again. Smith, turning to him, gave a serious contented smile. The use of the perfect ing-form, though quite possible, is not of frequent occurrence. It shows that the action of the ing-form

precedes that of the predicate verb. The Perfect ing-form is often placed before the predicate verb. e.g. Having duly arrived in Scotland, he took a train the next day to Manchester.

Having cut her dirty bandage, John started tying her hand.

Having gradually wasted his small fortune, he preferred to live on the generosity of others rather than work. Francis was there before me, having come by the morning train.

Norman, having looked at his watch, slapped the play-script shut and put it on his chair.

As has been said, the subject of the ing form is usually the person or thing denoted by the subject of the sentence (see the ex- amples above). Occasionally, however, we come across instances of the ing form whose subject is expressed elsewhere, for instance, by one of the secondary parts of the sentence.

e.g. Walking beside his friend, it seemed to Norman that life was not so bad after all.

But back in his office, looking down at his desk, his sense of well-being left him.

I love you like hell, Bridget. And, loving you like hell, you can't expect me to enjoy seeing you get married to a pot- bellied, pompous little peer who loses his temper when he doesn't win at tennis.

But searching for i's not dotted, t's uncrossed in his letter, it came to him that all he had written were lies, big lies poured over the paper like a thick syrup.

The above use of the ing-form is not common. Since usually the subject of the ing-form is the same person or thing as the sub- ject of the sentence, it is not easy to identify the subject of the ing-form in sentences of the above kind. Hence, the term dangling or unattached is applied to this ing-form in grammar.

The ing-form denoting a second action in the kind of sentences illustrated above is typical of literary style where its use is quite extensive, but it is hardly ever used in spoken English.

However, the ing-form denoting a second action is quite com- mon in spoken English after certain predicate groups. Here belong

the verbs to spend and to waste when they are followed by the noun time or some other expressions of time, and also after to have a good (hard, jolly, etc.,) time, to have difficulty, to have trouble and some others, e.g. She did little typing herself, but spent her time correcting the

work of the four girls she employed. Are you going to spend your life saying "ought", like the

rest of our moralists? She told me that she would often spend a whole morning

working upon a single page. Well, I'm sure I don't know why I waste time cooking a big

meal for this family if no one wants to eat it. He had a good time dancing at the club. They had difficulty finding his address.

In spoken English there is another sentence pattern in which the ing-form denoting a second action is also quite common. The sentence pattern includes the verb to be followed by an indication of place: to be here (there), to be in, to be in the room (kitchen, garden, office, etc.,), to be out, to be upstairs (downstairs) and the like.

e.g. Mother is out shopping.

Pat is downstairs talking to Father. Miss Smith was in her office typing.

(For comparison with the infinitive see § 185.)

The ing-form as Object

§ 214. The ing-form may be used as a direct object of a verb. It is lexically dependent in this function and found after the fol- lowing verbs: to admit, to avoid, to begin, to cease, to consider, to continue, to delay, to deny, to endure, to enjoy, to escape, to fin- ish, to forget, to give up, to go on, to hate, to intend, to keep, to keep on, to leave off, to like, to love, to mention, to mind (in neg- ative and interrogative sentences), to neglect, to postpone, to pre fer, to propose (= to suggest), to put off, to quit, to recall, to rec- ollect, to regret, to remember, to resent, to resume, to risk, to start, to stop, to suggest, to try and some others.

e.g. English grammar is very difficult and few writers have

avoided making mistakes in it. The rest of us had finished eating, but Cave had cut himself

another slice of cheese.

Roger went on speaking with energy, calculation and warmth. He kept on smiling at her and speaking. He drank his beer and resumed reading his paper. I was in low spirits and even considered going away. David Rubin did not much like being" called Professor.

In addition to the verbs mentioned in the list above, the ing- iorm as object is used after certain modal phrases in the negative form: can't bear, can't face, can't fancy, can't imagine, can't re sist, can't stand and can't help.

e.g. They can't bear being humiliated.

He could not face being talked about.

Later in the day she couldn't resist calling Mrs Spark to find

out the details of the tragedy. He couldn't help asking me: "Isn't there anything else you

can do for Roger?"

Besides, the ing-form is also used after the set phrase to feel like.

e.g. He felt like giving up the whole affair.

I didn't feel like talking to him after what had happened.

The subject of the ing-form in this function is the same as that of the predicate verb.

(For comparison with the infinitive see §§ 186 and 237.)