On the turning away (Difficult content for former students)

Turning in this song is a gerund.  A gerund is the ing form of a verb when we use it as a noun.

(Verbs are usually action words.  Nouns are people, places, things or ideas)

Swimming is fun.  Running makes me tired.  Fighting doesn't solve anything.  Crying helps.

A difficult goal in advanced ESOL classes is memorizing whether a verb can be followed by a gerund, an infinitive (to ____base verb) or both.

I like to swim./I like swimming are equally correct.

I enjoy swimming is correct.  I enjoy to swim is wrong.

I want to go is correct.  I want going is wrong.

Flashcards to practice

(The sound of the word after the verb is what you need to remember.  

Ing is for gerunds.  To is for infinitives)