part of speech words ending in ing

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Grammar: Verb Forms: "-ing," Infinitives, and Past Participles

Learning to use the "-ing," the infinitive ("to" + base form of the verb), and the past participle (in regular verbs, this is formed by adding "-ed" to the end of the verb) verb forms correctly can be challenging. When do you use "finishing" versus "to finish " versus "finished"? The information on this page can help.

To find more information about when to use an "-ing," an infinitive, or a past participle, look up the word in an online dictionary such as  Merriam Webster , or use a corpus, such as  The Corpus of Contemporary American English . Although there are some rules to follow, some of them simply have to be memorized.

Here are six common uses of the "-ing" form:

1. The "-ing" form is used in progressive verb tenses with auxiliary verbs (helping verbs). These are in active vo ice. Here are some examples:

• I am doing my homework.
• I have been writing all day.
• I was writing when the pizza arrived.

2. The "-ing" form can function as a noun . These nouns are called gerunds and can be the subject of a clause, followed by a third-person singular (he/she/it) form of the verb . The gerund in the following sample sentences is bolded, and the verb is italicized:

• Writing is an important skill.
• Hiking is one of my favorite activities.
• Reading before bed helps me fall asleep.

3. The "-ing" noun (or gerund) can be the direct object of certain verbs. Some verbs that are followed by a gerund are the following:

The verb in the following sample sentences is italicized, and the gerund is bolded:

• He often avoids answering his phone.
• I considered conducting semistructured interviews.
• She suggested taking notes.

4. The "-ing " form is used after a preposition . The preposition in the following example sentences is italicized, and the "–ing" is bolded:

• Before conducting the research, it is necessary to complete a literature review.
• Her experience in interviewing will be beneficial.
• He is bad at remembering appointments. 
• They complained about driving in rush hour.

5. Adjectives are sometimes formed using "-ing". The "-ing" in the following example sentences is bolded:

• I read an interesting book.
• The barking dog was annoying.

6. The "-ing" form is sometimes used to include additional information in a sentence in a reduced relative clause . The "-ing " in the following example sentences is bolded, and the full relative clause is italicized:

• The woman wearing a dress is sitting by the window. (The woman who is wearing a dress is sitting by the window.)
• The pens sitting on the desk belong to the teacher. (The pens that are sitting on the desk belong to the teacher.)

Infinitives

Here are four common uses of infinitives ("to" + base form of the verb):

1. The infinitive is required after certain verbs in English. Some verbs that take an infinitive following them are the following:

The verb in the following example sentences is italicized, and the infinitive is bolded:

• I decided to go to a movie.
• He expected to obtain reliable results.
• She offered to help .

2. The infinitive is also used after certain verb + direct object structures. Some verbs that use this pattern are the following:

In the following example sentences, the verb is italicized, the direct object is bolded and italicized, and the infinitive is bolded:

• I advised him to stay . ("Him" is the direct object here.)
• I encouraged the participants to ask questions. ("Participants" is the direct object here.)
• She required us to sign the consent form. ("Us" is the direct object here.)
• He helped me to learn to read. He helped me learn to read. (With the verb "help," the infinitive can be used with or without "to." "Me" is the direct object here.)

3. Infinitives are used after certain adjectives . Some adjectives that are followed by infinitives are the following:

The adjective in the following example sentences is italicized, and the infinitive is bolded:

• It was difficult to complete the rough draft.
• She thought it was impossible to remember all the rules.
• I was wrong to assume you did not understand.

4. Infinitives are used to express purpose (in order to do something).  The infinitive in the following sample sentences is bolded:

• She is driving quickly (in order) to arrive on time.
• He completed all his homework (in order) to earn a good grade.
• I rewrote my draft three times (in order) to revise it the best I could.

Gerund ("-ing") or Infinitive ("to" + base form of the verb)?

Some verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive and the meaning of the sentence does not really change:

The verb in the following example sentences is italicized, and the infinitive or gerund is bolded:

• She likes to read .
• She likes reading .
• He started to learn how to swim.
• He started learning how to swim.

However, for some other verbs that can be followed by either a gerund or infinitive, the choice of the gerund or infinitive creates a difference in meaning:

The verb in the following example sentences is italicized, and the gerund or infinitive is bolded:

• I stopped smoking . (I no longer smoke.)
• I stopped to smoke . (I stopped someplace along the way to smoke.)
• He did not remember going to the store. (He went to the store, but he did not recall that he had been there.)
• He did not remember to go to the store. (He intended to go to the store, but he did not do it.)

Past Participles

In a regular verb, the past participle is formed by adding "-ed". However, there are many irregular verbs in English, and these past participle forms must be memorized. Here are four common uses of past participles:

1. The past participle is used with "have" auxiliaries (helping verbs) in active voice . The "have" auxiliary in the following example sentences is italicized, and the past participle is bolded:

• She has completed her degree.
• She had completed her degree before being hired.
• I have finished my homework.
• I had finished my homework before going to the movie.

Also see this link on verb tenses for more examples.

2. The past participle is used after "be" auxiliaries in passive voice. Be sure to check our webpage on the appropriate use of passive voice in scholarly writing . The "be" auxiliary in the following example sentences is italicized and the past participle is bolded:

• I was born in 1976.
• Hamlet was written by Shakespeare.
• The plates broke when they were dropped .

3. The past participle is sometimes used in a phrase to supply additional information. These participial phrases come from relative clauses with a passive meaning. The past participle in the following example sentences is bolded, and the full relative clause is italicized:

• The ideas presented at the conference are important to remember. (The ideas that were presented in the conference are important to remember.)
• The drinks served at that bar are delicious. (The drinks that are served at that bar are delicious.)
• Taken by surprise, Alice hugged her long lost friend. (Alice, who was surprised , hugged her long lost friend.) 

4. The past participle is sometimes used as an adjective . The past participle in the following example sentences is bolded:

• The received goods were damaged in shipping.
• She tried to repair her broken phone.
• The lost dog wandered the neighborhood.

-ing or Past Participle?

Sometimes both the "-ing" and the past participle ("-ed") forms can function as adjectives. However, each form has a different meaning.  The "-ing" and the past participle is bolded in the example sentences below. Notice that the "-ing" adjective refers to a thing and the past participle ("-ed") adjective refers to a person.

• The ideas are exciting . (This refers to the ideas themselves.)
• He is excited . (This refers to the person.)
• The rules are confusing . (This refers to the rules themselves.)
• I am confused . (This refers to the person.)
• The conclusion to the movie was satisfying . (This refers to the movie.)
• I am satisfied with the results. (This refers to how I feel about the results.)

Writing Tools: Using a Dictionary for Grammatical Accuracy Video

Note that this video was created while APA 6 was the style guide edition in use. There may be some examples of writing that have not been updated to APA 7 guidelines.

• Writing Tools: Using a Dictionary for Grammatical Accuracy (video transcript)

Related Resources

Knowledge Check: Verb Forms

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Definition and Examples of -ing Forms in Grammar

Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

In English grammar , " -ing form" is a contemporary linguistic term for the present participle and gerund : any verb form that ends in -ing .

In the book International English Usage (2005), Hancock and Todd note that the term " -ing form" is "neutral as to the function of a verb-derived -ing form." 

Examples and Observations

• "When -ing forms are used as verbs, adjectives or adverbs , they are often called 'present participles.' (This is not a very suitable name, because these forms can refer to the past, present, or future.) When they are used more like nouns , they are often called 'gerunds.' In fact, the distinction is not really as simple as this, and some grammarians prefer to avoid the terms 'participle' and 'gerund.'" (Michael Swan, Practical English Usage , 2nd ed. Oxford University Press, 1995)
• "Avoid running at all times." (Satchel Paige)
• "Democracy is the art and science of running the circus from the monkey cage." (H. L. Mencken)
• "A hospital bed is a parked taxi with the meter running ." (Groucho Marx)
• "I suppose all writers worry about the well running dry." (Richard Russo)
• "The barrel was kept full of cold, running water. Dad said it was best to have the water running in at the top and out an opening at the bottom of the barrel; this way it circulated around and over the copper worm." (Sidney Saylor Farr, My Appalachia: A Memoir . University Press of Kentucky, 2007)
• "[L]ike so many substantial Americans, he had married young and kept on marrying , springing from blonde to blonde like the chamois of the Alps leaping from crag to crag." (P.G. Wodehouse, Summer Moonshine , 1937)
• "Sir, I would like to say, It is hard to think of the good woman Presenting you with children, like cakes, Granting you the eye of her needle, Standing in doorways, flinging after you Little endearments, like rocks, or her silence Like a whole Sunday of bells." (W.S. Merwin, "Sire." The Second Four Books of Poems . Copper Canyon Press, 1993)
• "One wanders through life as if wandering through a field in the dark of night, wearing a blindfold and very heavy shoes, with a poisonous toad waiting patiently beneath a clump of weeds, knowing full well that eventually you will step on him." (Lemony Snicket, Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid . HarperCollins, 2007)
• Adjective and Verb Functions "In the following cases the -ing forms are clearly not gradable and are therefore much closer to verb forms: her dying wish an ailing friend a falling star the skidding vehicle A sentence like He was entertaining is ambiguous out of context . Its meaning depends on whether entertaining is treated as an adjective or as a verb. In He was very entertaining we have an adjective--note the presence of the intensifier very --and in He was entertaining his friends we have a verb-- was entertaining is actually the full verb form taking a grammatical object his friends ." (Ronald Wardhaugh, Understanding English Grammar: A Linguistic Approach , 2nd ed. Wiley-Blackwell, 2003)
• Verbs ending in -ing can act as the main verb of a verb phrase , and may be followed by a noun or an adjective . . .: e.g. is eating lunch ; becoming misty overnight .
• Nouns ending in -ing can sometimes have a plural form (e.g. paintings ), and can usually be a head noun after a, the , or some other determiner : e.g. [the banning of some chemicals] , [her dancing ] .
• Adjectives ending in -ing can appear before a noun, and can also occur after verbs such as be and become : e.g. the travelling public; it was (very) confusing . They are very often gradable, and can be preceded by degree adverbs such as very, so, and too : very forgiving, so interesting, too boring.
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All “ing” Verbs (List, Examples, Grammar)

What are common “ing” verbs? Before we dive into the list of words (or verbs) that end in “ing,” understanding the meaning of the two words is the first necessity. What does “ing” mean? What does it denote? Why are they added to verbs?

What are verbs? And “ing” verbs? 

First, it’s crucial to understand what verbs are. To put it simply, verbs are words that show action. Any word which denotes an action is called a verb . Some examples of verbs are run , swim, sleep, talk, walk, etc. 

These words show that an object is doing something. They are either running, swimming, going for a walk, etc. They tell us about the current state or the action that the object is performing. Verbs are an essential part of many languages that exist around the world.

However, some verbs can get confusing because they also act as a noun.

Some examples include: 

• Bat: Bat is a type of animal, but it is also an act of hitting a ball when playing a game
• Fish : Fish are animals, and at the same time, it also refers to the activity of hunting fish (to fish). 

What does adding the suffix “ing” mean? 

“Ing” is a popular suffix added after nouns and verbs. When added to a verb, “ing” is often used to form a present participle of the verb. It is also used to show an instance of a process or an action. Some examples of verbs ending in ing are:

• Running, Swimming, Walking, Talking, Sleeping. 

These words now show that the object is in the process of doing an action. The most important thing to remember here is that “ing” transforms the verb into a “present participle” form.

List of common verbs ending in “ing”

Now that we have an understanding of the two words and why they are used, let’s look at a list of verbs ending in “ing”:

Swim- Swimming 

Run- Running

Write- Writing

Drink- Drinking

Walk- Walking

Talk- Talking

Sleep- Sleeping 

Marry- Marrying

Work- Working

Rest- Resting

Hunt- Hunting

Bowl- Bowling

Play- Playing 

Sit- Sitting

Smoke-Smoking

Ride- Riding

Hop- Hopping

Dance- Dancing

Sing- Singing

Yell- Yelling

Shout- Shouting

Break- Breaking

Fall- Falling

Jump- Jumping

Leave- Leaving

Tease- Teasing

Read- Reading

Bake- Baking 

Wash- Washing

Research- Researching

Find- Finding

Eat- Eating

Beat- Beating

Hate- Hating

Like- Liking

Shop- Shopping

Enjoy- Enjoying

Cook- Cooking

Speak- Speaking

Watch- Watching

Fix- Fixing

Jog- Jogging

Flee- Fleeing

Spell- Spelling

Peel- Peeling

Fly- Flying

Type- Typing

Answer- Answering

Offer- Offering

Listen- Listening

Rub- Rubbing

Massage- Massaging

Interrupt- Interrupting

Guess- Guessing

Clean- Cleaning

Paint- Painting

Draw- Drawing

Repair- Repairing

Moan- Moaning

Mourn- Mourning

Sign- Signing

Cut- Cutting

Tear- Tearing

Wear- Wearing

Catch-Catching

Tap- Tapping

Stroke- Stroking

Meet- Meeting

Sink- Sinking

Grow- Growing

Win- Winning

Gamble- Gambling

“ing” verbs list (images)

When added to the end of a verb, “ing” transforms the verb form into a present participle . This shows that the action is currently under process, or to put it simply, that the object is currently performing that action. 

Like “ing” shows that an action is being performed or “is in process.” It needs to be transformed into a past participle form to show that it has been completed. This is shown by using a past form of the verb. Different verbs can have different past participle forms. For instance: Swim- Swam, Walk: Walked, Run- Ran, etc. 

Verbs are an essential part of the English language. This is because they show action. When an object is performing some act, it is denoted by a verb.

Verbs are also an integral part of other languages worldwide for the same reason.

• Collins: Definition of “Ing” 
• Cambridge Dictionary: Verb Patterns
• Collins: Which verbs are followed by “ing” form in English
• Walden University: Verb Forms: “ing”

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About the author

Dalia Y.: Dalia is an English Major and linguistics expert with an additional degree in Psychology. Dalia has featured articles on Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, Grammarly, and many more. She covers English, ESL, and all things grammar on GrammarBrain.

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Gerunds and -ing words in English

Gerunds, verbal nouns, present participles all ending in -ing, 1. the different types of word ending in - ing : .

Definitions

• The gerund is a verb which is used as if it were a noun (Examples 1 & 2 below). Since it is a verb, it can not be qualified by an adjective , nor preceded by an article , but, like other forms of the verb, it can be modified by an adverb and take a complement .
• A verbal noun (Examples 3 & 4)  is a noun formed  from a verb; some verbal nouns end in - ing . Verbal nouns, like other nouns,  can take a determiner , and be qualified by adjectives.  
• A participle is an adjective or part of a participial phrase qualifying a noun or a pronoun.  (Examples 5 et 6). The present participle is also used in the progressive aspect of verb tenses (Examples 7 & 8).
•    Seeing is believing.
•    Living cheaply in New York is quite possible.
•   The book was easy reading !
•    He managed to make a good living.
•     Smiling, the lady told them they'd won the big prize.
•    I heard them arguing last night.
•    I'm taking my brother to the station tonight
•    The man was phoning his friend, when the lights went out.

2. The gerund in English: the verb used as a noun

•    Reading that book was very interesting.
•    Drinking is essential
•    Drinking too much pop can make you fat.
•    Taking the bus was rather a good idea.
•    Swimming regularly is very good exercise.
•    Taking too many aspirins is dangerous.
•    I really like sailing .
•    This article really needs completely rewriting.
•    He drove two hundred miles without ever stopping.
•    I look forward to seeing  you again next week.
•    I'm thinking of painting my house.
•    I started by carefully turning off the electricity
•    Do you mind shutting the window, please ?
•    Will you consider taking the job?
•    I've really enjoyed meeting you.

Gerund or infinitive?

3. verbal nouns: nouns that are derived from verbs.

•    That is a very nice painting
•    We're going to see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.
•    After a slow beginning, the show got a bit more lively.
•    This story has a rather unexpected ending..
•    The commission demanded the breaking up of the company into two separate units.
•    Our last meeting was not very productive.

4. Areas of possible confusion

• For musicians, practising  is essential.
• For musicians,  practising an instrument is essential
• For musicians, regular practising   is essential.
• For musicians, regular practising an instrument is essential . NO !
• For musicians, regular ly practising  an instrument is essential.
• For musicians, the regular  practising of an instrument is essential.

5. Present participles

• Looking out of. .. is an ellipsis or contraction of As I was looking out of. ..,
• ... I saw the tornado coming is a contraction of ... I saw the tornado that was coming.
• Looking out of the window, I saw the tornado coming . 
• In the course of the coming week, I have three interviews to go to.
• I saw the child standing in the middle of the road.
• The people living next door are very friendly.      4b The living next door people are very friendly is impossible.
• This is a seriously interesting book.
• The winning team will go through to the finals.
• The team winning in the first round will go through to the finals.
• I was looking out of the window when I saw the tornado.
•  At the moment, he's living in Bristol.
• The company has been doing very well for the past two years.

Active and passive

• Being seen is more important than being heard.
• Dominic drove three hundred miles without ever being stopped.
• They began their holiday by getting hopelessly lost .
•  Everyone watched the building getting demolished.
•  At the moment they 're being sold at half price.

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Grammar Tips & Articles »

Present participle - the -ing verb, this grammar.com article is about present participle - the -ing verb — enjoy your reading.

We are studying grammar. We will be reviewing this matter tomorrow.

the player sitting next to the coach …. the song climbing to number one on the charts ….

the smoking gun the controlling issue

Winning the game became his ultimate objective. Practicing her swing each day improved her golf game.

These ‑ing verbs always show up in a powerful writing style, and we’ll return to study them further in the Grammar eBook Developing a Powerful Writing Style . Hard Copy You may download our entire discussion of the Parts of Speech. Simply download the Grammar eBook Understanding the Parts of Speech .   Previous: Finite Verb - Tense, Person, Number, Mood Next: Past Participle - The -ed Verb

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The -Ing Spelling Rules

Table of Contents

When is “-ing” added to the verb, what are the ing spelling rules, 1. general rule.

visit, watch, sing, do, wait, work…

2. Verbs ending in silent e

3. One-syllable verbs ending in a vowel and a consonant

4. Verbs ending in w , y , or, x , we only add -ing

5. Verbs ending in a vowel and a consonant with stress on the final syllable

6. Verbs ending in -ie

7. Verbs ending in – ee , – ye , and – oe

8. Verbs ending in consonant + vowel + L

9. Verbs ending in -c

Present participle / ing -form

(use and formation of the present participle or ing -form of the verb in english), table of contents – present participle, what is the present participle and how is it used (explanation).

The present participle (sometimes also called ing-participle ) or simply ing-form can be used in different ways. It is not limited to a specific word category! In general, it is often utilised as follows:

How is the present participle formed (particularities)?

Spelling differences of the present participle in american and british english.

There are slight differences between British and American English concerning the formation of the present participle ( ing-form ) and accordingly its spelling. The following needs to be considered in detail:

Further explanations relating to the ‘Present participle’

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An -ing form or gerund-participle is the form taken by a verb with -ing added to the base form (occasionally with some minor spelling changes). These can function used as verbs , nouns or adjectives , and with the addition of -ly as adverbs :

The boundaries between the parts of speech described above are fuzzy. It is often the case that for an example sentence, differing but equally valid analyses are possible. For example: “You are boring" (unclear verb or adjective), “You are very boring" (adjective) “You are boring me" (verb).

Apart from the obvious monosyllables , such as sing , king , etc., not all words ending -ing are gerunds or participles: thing , something , ceiling , whiting and duckling , etc.

• 2 Spelling rules
• 3 Present participle
• 5 -ing form or infinitive
• 6 Adjectives

Usage [ edit | edit source ]

One of the very few strict rules in English, i.e. no exception (or debate), is that of the need to use the -ing form of a verb, not its infinitive, after all prepositions . The only possible complication is deciding whether that to in the sentence is a preposition or an infinitive marker , in which case it obviously goes with an infinitive.

Spelling rules [ edit | edit source ]

• Most verbs add - ing to the infinitive form. See Default below.
• Verbs ending in e replace e by ing : lik e - lik ing ; reciev e - receiv ing
• Verbs “dye" and “singe" don’t drop the e : dye ing , singe ing /ˈsɪndʒɪŋ/
• In British English the "-ing" form of “age" is spelled “aging" or “ageing" BrE
• Verbs ending in one stressed vowel + one consonant (except w, x or y ) double the consonant and add - ing : plan ning ; stop ping ; refer ring ; control ling ;
• This rule also applies to the verb "program,” even if it doesn’t end in a stressed syllable: program ming
• In British English, the letter "l" is doubled after a single unstressed vowel: level ling BrE - leveling AmE ; travel ling BrE - traveling AmE
• Verbs ending in - c add king : picknic king ; traffic king ;
• Verbs ending in ie change their ending to "ying": die - d ying ; lie - l ying ; tie - t ying ;
• Default. All other verbs add - ing .
• Ending in one or more vowels (except final e ): moo ing ; ski ing ;
• Ending in two or more consonants: depend ing ; push ing ; start ing ;
• Ending in two or more vowels + one consonant: explain ing ; rain ing ;
• Ending in one unstressed vowel + one consonant: edit ing ; offer ing ;
• See exceptions above (program, and verbs ending in "l")
• Ending in w, x or y : play ing ; enjoy ing ; copy ing ; fly ing ; show ing ; tax ing ;

Present participle [ edit | edit source ]

See main article present participle .

Gerund [ edit | edit source ]

See main article Gerund .

A gerund is a noun, corresponding in most cases to an action or activity, such as smoking , reading or many sports (not games), such as swimming , weightlifting and fencing .

-ing form or infinitive [ edit | edit source ]

• There are a number of verbs that can be followed by an -ing form or an infinitive, but there may be, in some cases, differences in meaning:
• There are a number of verbs that are normally followed by an -ing form :
• There are a number of verbs that are normally followed by an infinitive:

Adjectives [ edit | edit source ]

There are a number of frequently used adjectives that students should be made familiar with: amusing - annoying - boring - disappointing - exciting - frightening - interesting - shocking - surprising - terrifying - tiring - worrying. Care should be taken to avoid eventual confusion between, for example, be worrying and be worried , and, most especially be bored vs be boring , as in I’m bored …

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• Teflpedia glossary entry -ing form was last edited on 29 June 2023, at 05:53. 🔖Cite this page: General info - Specific citation 🔍 General search tools : Bing - DuckDuckGo - Google 🔍 Academic search tools : ERIC - Google Scholar - Semantic Scholar
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Verbs ending in -ing

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English contains many ways to form new words, which affects sentence structure and communication in general. That is why it creates many challenges for language learners. In this article, you will learn the rules and common mistakes of using verbs ending in -ing. By mastering their usage, you can enhance your writing and speaking, making your English more fluent and precise.

What is the verb ending in -ing

The first fact that surprises many learners is the verbs ending in -ing have two main functions in English. These are gerunds and present participles. 

• Gerunds . This is how -ing nouns are called. They can be subjects, objects, or complements of a sentence in the English language. For example, "Swimming is my favorite hobby."
• Present participles . These types of -ing verbs are used to make continuous tenses or adjectives. For instance, "She is swimming in the lake" or “The shimmering stars twinkled brightly in the night sky.”

Each type has many unique rules and common mistakes. Below, you will learn more about them and find the tips to use -ing forms correctly. 

Verbs ending in -ing as gerunds

Gerunds are verbs that end in '-ing' and function as nouns within a sentence. This verb form allows us to discuss processes as activities. Gerunds can play several roles in English:

• Subject . "Running is exhilarating." (“running” is a subject here)
• Object . "I enjoy reading." (“reading” is an object)
• Complement . "Her favorite hobby is painting." (“painting” is a word that is necessary to complete the meaning of a sentence)

These roles form the basic rules of using verbs ending in -ing as gerunds:

• We discussed moving to a new city.
• I decided going home.
• Jake suggested Bob learning a new language.
• They were accused of cheating.
• He apologized for arriving late to the meeting.
• They are fond of playing tennis in their free time.
• Traveling opens your mind.
• I prefer reading over watching TV.

Learners often face the same challenges and mistakes when using gerunds. 

• Confusing Gerunds with Participles. Although both forms end in '-ing', their functions differ. Present participles are used to form adjectives or continuous verb tenses, whereas gerunds are used to make a noun from a verb.
• Infinitive instead of gerund . A common mistake is using infinitives of the word instead of gerund after some verbs or prepositions. For example, you may say, “I prefer to read,” and people will understand you. Yet it’s clearer and more accurate to say, “I prefer reading.”
• Neglecting Gerund Phrases . A gerund can be part of a longer noun phrase. For example, in the sentence, "Reading mystery novels is one of her favorite pastimes," the gerund phrase is “reading mystery novels,” which serves as a subject.

Using ing in English to form gerunds improves communication. Mastering the rules above will also add depth to your speeches, develop your language skills, and allow you to express yourself in laconic ways.

Verbs ending in ing as present participles

Regarding the -ing form of verbs, present participles may be adjective or verb forms used in continuous tenses. Depending on the function, they might be placed differently in the sentence and follow different rules.

-Ing verbs as adjectives

'-ing' adjectives are formed from verbs by adding '-ing' to the base form of the verb, thereby turning them into words that describe the state of being or the characteristics of a noun. For instance, in the phrase "a running stream," 'running' is an adjective that describes the stream. Such adjectives play several roles in sentences:

• To describe a noun . In this case, the adjective should be placed before the noun or pronoun it modifies. Such a verb ending in -ing shouldn’t come alone in a sentence. (The smiling child waved.);
• To indicate the cause of feeling or reaction.  In such cases, the adjective can be placed at the end of the sentence or after a predicate. However, an adjective should always correspond to the noun. (The movie was surprising.);

One of the most common mistakes is confusing present participles with  past participles . The former forms an adjective or continuous tenses, while the latter is used for passive voice and perfect tenses. The past participle is created by adding “-ed” to the end of the verb or changing the verb form for irregular verbs.

-Ing verbs in continuous tenses

Continuous tenses are formed by using the auxiliary verb 'to be' in its various forms, followed by the main verb with an '-ing' ending. This construction indicates that an action is or was progressing at a specific moment. Continuous tenses include the present continuous, past continuous, and future continuous. Their roles are as follows:

• I am reading a book.
• He was cooking when I came.
• I had been speaking about sharks when she interrupted me.
• She is living in Paris this year.
• We are meeting them tomorrow.
• This time next week, I will be lying on the beach, enjoying the sun.
• The climate is getting warmer.
• More people are starting to work remotely, changing the traditional office landscape.

One of the most common mistakes regarding continuous tenses is overusing them. Remember that some words aren’t suitable for continuous forms. Some of the examples are the verbs “know,” “believe,” “love,” and so on. Such verbs describe states instead of actions. So, try to avoid using them in continuous tenses.

Verbs ending in '-ing' are challenging since they may serve different functions. By mastering their rules and avoiding common mistakes, you can significantly reach English proficiency. Like any aspect of language learning, practice is key. Experiment with writing and speaking, using gerunds and present participles in different contexts, and you'll find them becoming a natural part of your conversational skills.

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Grammar: the syntactic function of -ing forms

By Scott Thornbury

• No comments

An article discussing the syntactic function of -ing forms.

The use of –ing forms was touched on in a previous question (see ' –ing forms and post modification ' ), but it’s worth returning to, not least because your question raises interesting issues relating to word class and syntactic function.

The notion of word class (also called part of speech) is a convenient one for labelling purposes but tends to buckle under pressure. Traditionally (just to remind you) there are eight word classes (if we ignore exclamations):

nouns,  adjectives,  pronouns,  verbs,  determiners,  adverbs,  prepositions,  conjunctions

However, language being what it is, many words elude a neat categorization in these terms. Or they fit into more than one category. The word round , for example, can be noun, verb, adjective, adverb, and preposition. The  -ing form – as you imply – is particularly unclear. The very fact that we now bundle together what used to be called gerunds , and what are still called participles , into one category, called -ing forms, is indicative of this uncertainty.

This is well illustrated in Quirk and Greenbaum’s (1973) A University Grammar of English , where they give examples of how the word painting can be placed at any point on a gradient from totally noun-like to totally verb-like. Just a few examples:

• A painting of Brown’s…
• The painting of Brown is as skilful as that of Gainsborough….
• Brown’s deft painting of his daughter is a delight to watch…
• I dislike Brown’s painting his daughter.
• I dislike Brown painting his daughter.
• I watched Brown painting his daughter…
• The silently painting man is Brown…
• He is painting his daughter.

Likewise, the difference between participles and adjectives ending in –ing is not always clear cut. A swimming pool is not the same as a swimming dog , but are either of these uses adjectival, in the sense that, say a boring book is? After all, you can say the book is very boring or that it is more boring than that one .

Boring , in these instances, passes all the tests for adjectives. The same doesn’t apply to either example of swimming . Neither the pool nor the dog can be said to be very swimming . So, swimming , as in a swimming dog (i.e. a dog which is swimming ) is best thought of as being verbal, i.e. a participle that is pre-modifying the noun. And swimming pool is probably best classified as a compound noun, formed originally by combining two nouns, with the meaning a pool for swimming .

As a footnote, the Collins COBUILD Grammar (1990) points out that, while most adjectival uses of –ing forms derive from verbs, there are some –ing words that have no related verb. Instead they are formed from nouns or adjectives, and 'verbalised' through the addition of –ing . Examples: neighbouring , balding , enterprizing , and appetizing .

Now, to Bob’s question about adverbs: can a verb ending in –ing ever function as an adverb? The answer is no (unless notwithstanding is deconstructed into the verb to not withstand! ) but –ing forms can function as adverbials.

Adverbs and adverbials

So, then, what’s the difference between an adverb and an adverbial? This is where we need to distinguish between word classes, on the one hand, and sentence elements, on the other. We’ve already established that there are eight word classes, of which adverbs are just one. Word classes describe grammatical function at the level of individual words. Sentence elements, however, distinguish between the different syntactic functions of different parts of the sentence, as in subject, object, complement, verb, and  adverbial.

The subject, for example, functions as the agent of the action or state encoded in the verb element of the sentence. And the adverbial typically provides circumstantial information, such as the time, place, or manner, of the situation encoded in the verb. These elements may be realised by individual words, or clumps of words (phrases), or whole clauses.

Adverbials can take the form of adverbs, as in She ate heartily . Or of adverb phrases, as in She ate very heartily . But adverbials can also be realised by other word classes and phrase types. For example:

noun phrases (e.g. she ate last night )

prepositional phrases (e.g. she ate in her room )

finite clauses (e.g. she ate although she wasn't hungry )

non-finite clauses (e.g. being a bit peckish, she ate )

It is in this last category – non-finite clauses – that we find –ing forms fulfilling an adverbial function. This is often the case with so-called comment clauses, as in Strictly speaking, a dolphin is a mammal . But it is also common with verbs that are 'concerned with beginning, ending, or spending time in a particular way' ( Collins COBUILD Grammar Patterns: 1. Verbs , 1996), such as start off , end up , (e.g.  I started off doing languages; They’d prefer to die fighting…) . And also (although, oddly, the aforementioned reference book doesn’t mention these) after many verbs of movement (such as they came running… I went skiing ) and verbs of states, as in the Stevie Smith poem:

Nobody heard him, the dead man.

But still he lay moaning...

I’ve often toyed with the notion that the so-called present or past continuous is simply another form of this pattern, i.e. state verb + -ing adverbial. What, after all, is the semantic difference between he lay moaning , he sat moaning , he stood moaning etc. and he was moaning ?

(The rest of the Stevie Smith poem, by the way, provides other good examples of –ing forms, including those in its well-known refrain, and title: Not waving but drowning .)

So, the answer to Bob’s question, is no… but, yes.

(And why is it that neither coursebooks nor pedagogical grammars really deal with this stuff?)

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Words ending in -ing

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A word ending in –ing can be a verb, a noun, or an adjective. Use –ing words with care. The sentence should make it clear which role the word plays.

For example, we don’t know whether the heading, Meeting requirements, will be a discussion of how to meet requirements or the requirements for a meeting. These examples are clearer:

• The meeting requirements
• Meeting the requirements
• The requirements for the meeting
• How to meet the requirements

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Additional resources

• English Vocabulary

‘Ing’ Words: Check the List of Words Ending with ‘Ing’

There are various words in English, and these words change according to various factors like tenses. The words also change with the addition of suffixes and prefixes to them, and one such suffix is ‘ing’. The ‘ing’ words are used in the present, past and future continuous tenses. The words having ‘ing’ as the suffix can be used to refer to those verbs which are going on or were going on or will be going on.

List of ‘Ing’ Words

In this article, we have provided a list of words ending with ‘ing’. ‘Ing’ is a suffix, but there are also a lot of words in English which have ‘ing’ but do not act as a suffix. Whether it is a 4-letter word , 5-letter word , or any bigger word, the suffix ‘ing’ can be used with the verbs. In this article, we have also provided a few 7-letter words ending with ‘ing’ and a few 8-letter words ending with ‘ing’. Check the lists of words provided below for your reference.

Frequently Asked Questions on ‘Ing’ Words

What are ‘ing’ words.

The words ending with ‘ing’ can be used as nouns, but if the ‘ing’ is used as a suffix, then the words can be used as verbs.

What are some of the ‘ing’ words where it is not the suffix?

The ‘ing’ words where it is not a suffix are king, bring, sling, ring, ping, sing, ting, etc. You can refer to the list of words provided in the article.

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Words Ending with ING

• abastardizing
• abbreviating
• abnormalizing
• abolitionizing
• abominating
• absolutizing
• absquatulating
• abstracting
• abstricting
• academicizing
• accelerating
• accentuating
• acceptilating
• accessioning
• accessorising
• accessorizing
• acclimating
• acclimatising
• acclimatizing
• accommodating
• accompanying
• accomplishing
• accoutering
• accrediting
• accroaching
• acculturating
• acculturizing
• accumulating
• accustoming
• acetalizing
• acetolyzing
• acetonating
• acetonizing
• acetylating
• achromatising
• achromatizing
• acidulating
• acknowledging
• acquainting
• acquiescing
• actualizing
• acupuncturing
• adjectivizing
• adjudicating
• admeasuring
• administering
• administrating
• admonishing
• adstipulating
• adulterating
• adulterizing
• adumbrating
• advantaging
• adventuring
• adverbializing
• advertising
• aerobicizing
• aerobraking
• aeromodelling
• aerosolizing
• aestheticizing
• aestivating
• affamishing
• affectating
• affiliating
• afforesting
• affranchising
• affreighting
• affrightening
• affrighting
• Africanising
• Africanizing
• afterburning
• afterchroming
• afterripening
• afterworking
• agglomerating
• agglutinating
• aggrandising
• aggrandizing
• aggravating
• aggregating
• airbrushing
• airfreighting
• albumenizing
• albuminizing
• alchemizing
• alcoholising
• alcoholizing
• alembicating
• algebraizing
• alightening
• alkalifying
• alkalinising
• alkalinizing
• alkoxylating
• allegorising
• allegorizing
• alleviating
• allineating
• alliterating
• allografting
• allogrooming
• allomothering
• alloparenting
• allopreening
• allotropizing
• allowancing
• alluviating
• alphabetizing
• altercating
• alternating
• aluminizing
• amalgamating
• amalgamizing
• ambitioning
• ambuscading
• ameliorating
• Americanising
• Americanizing
• aminoacylating
• ammoniating
• ammonifying
• ammonolyzing
• amorphizing
• amphibolitizing
• anabaptizing
• anabolizing
• anaesthetising
• anagrammatizing
• anagramming
• analogizing
• anamorphosing
• anastomosing
• anathematizing
• anathemizing
• anatomising
• anatomizing
• androgenising
• androgenizing
• anematizing
• anesthetising
• anesthetizing
• angelifying
• anglicising
• anglicizing
• angularizing
• anhydrating
• anhydridizing
• anhydrising
• anhydrizing
• animadverting
• animalizing
• annihilating
• annualizing
• annuitising
• annuitizing
• annunciating
• anonymising
• anonymizing
• antagonising
• antagonizing
• anthologizing
• antialiasing
• antibalding
• antibleeding
• antibonding
• anticipating
• anticlotting
• anticoagulating
• anticorrelating
• antidumping
• antifoaming
• antifogging
• antifouling
• antihijacking
• antihunting
• antijamming
• antipathizing
• antiplumming
• antipoaching
• antiquating
• antisepticising
• antisepticizing
• antishoplifting
• antisickling
• antiskinning
• antismoking
• antismuggling
• antispending
• apocopating
• apologising
• apologizing
• apostacizing
• apostasizing
• apostatising
• apostatizing
• apostolizing
• apostrophising
• apostrophizing
• apotheosing
• apotheosizing

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Words with the ending -ing in English sentences – Exercise

Task no. 8049.

How is the underlined word in each sentence used? Select the correct form from the drop down menu.

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English Grammar Explanations

• Jack likes reading . → adjective noun verb
• We are sitting on a bench. → adjective noun verb
• I love sparkling water. → adjective noun verb
• Parking is expensive in cities. → adjective noun verb
• They read an interesting article yesterday. → adjective noun verb
• Look! The boy is catching crabs. → adjective noun verb
• The crying child was taken to hospital. adjective noun verb
• She has been watching videos the whole evening. → adjective noun verb
• I'm good at telling stories. → adjective noun verb
• Do you prefer jogging or riding ? → adjective noun verb
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What would be a a linguistic term for those nouns ending with -ing?

Examples: building, scaffolding, ending .

What are some other examples, and what do they all share in common semantically?

• terminology

• Related . –  tchrist ♦ Commented Jun 17, 2023 at 16:48

3 Answers 3

They could be one of two things, Gerunds or Deverbal Nouns .

The wikipedia article on Gerunds has a decent section on the nominal and verbal properties of gerunds.

Nominal characteristics

• The gerund can perform the function of subject, object and predicative
• The gerund can be preceded by a preposition
• Like a noun the gerund can be modified by a noun in the possessive case, a possessive adjective, or an adjective

Verbal characteristics

• The gerund of transitive verbs can take a direct object
• The gerund can be modified by an adverb
• The gerund has the distinctions of aspect and voice

Based on feedback I'll point out a specific section of that Wikipedia article.

Not all nouns that are identical in form to the present participle are gerunds. The formal distinction is that a gerund is a verbal noun – a noun derived from a verb that retains verb characteristics, that functions simultaneously as a noun and a verb, while other nouns in the form of the present participle (ending in -ing) are deverbal nouns , which function as common nouns, not as verbs at all.

So from your examples, the grammatical term you might be looking for is Deverbal Nouns . Only a subset of deverbal nouns end in -ing, however.

• 2 This doesn't seem correct. Gerunds retain their verb characteristics when used as a noun, whereas the OP's examples do not. Even the Wikipedia article you link provides "fencing" as a counter-example, as it is deverbal and therefore not a gerund. –  Ben Blank Commented Feb 17, 2011 at 1:08
• 2 @Ben "Fencing" when referring to the sporting activity is indeed a Gerund. "Fencing" as in the white picket fence surrounding a house, is not. I like building bridges is a gerund. The Empire State Building is not. Same holds for scaffolding, and ending. I guess I just assumed that was what the question was pointing towards… –  ghoppe Commented Feb 17, 2011 at 1:38
• Scaffold as a verb is archaic at best, so maybe that one has to be considered a deverbal noun. In any case, I think you could update this answer to incorporate deverbals. –  Kosmonaut Commented Feb 17, 2011 at 1:40
• — Ah. I had assumed the opposite, as I've never heard "scaffolding" used as a verb. :-) –  Ben Blank Commented Feb 17, 2011 at 1:42
• @Kosmonaut I had just updated the answer as you were adding that comment, thanks. :) –  ghoppe Commented Feb 17, 2011 at 1:45

I differ somewhat with @ghoppe on this issue. A gerund is still a verb that is being used as a noun with the addition of -ing. But words like "scaffold" are not verbs at all (except as English permits nouns to be used as verbs). So that fails the gerund "sniff" test for me.

If we look at Webster's 3rd New International Dictionary for -ing, we find this tidbit:

4: something connected with, consisting of, or used in making (a specified thing) <scaffolding>, <sacking> <shirting> — in nouns, esp. collectives formed from nouns 5: something related to (a specified concept) <offing> in nouns formed from parts of speech other than verbs and nouns;

So while the -ing ending originated as a participial ending and later becoming a gerundial suffix, calling all words ending in -ing gerunds is a bit overstating the case. The fact that nouns are formed from other parts of speech by taking -ing endings would seem to eliminate gerund as a catch-all name for this kind of word.

If they genuinely sit within a phrase permitting some of the syntax of "normal" verb phrases , then they are are termed gerunds . As has been commented, this doesn't apply to any old word ending in -ing . A gerundive structure implies certain properties, such as allowing adverbs that you'd expect in a "normal" verb phrase. Contrast the reversal in grammaticality between the following: the adverb, not the adjective, is used with a "genuine" gerund, whereas the adjective and not the adverb occurs with an 'ordinary' noun:

1(a) *I saw this unexpectedly scaffolding.

(b) I saw this unexpected scaffolding.

2 (a) I saw them unexpectedly scaffolding the house.

(b) *I saw them unexpected scaffolding the house.

Otherwise, it's really common-- even in linguistics literature-- to just call them -ing forms. You don't always need a fancy word for things...!

(Other words like nominalisation don't refer specifically to -ing forms.)

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What part of speech is an “-ing” form at the very beginning of a sentence?

I have been reading this paper and the following sentence is quite confusing to me:

Hiking interest rates to get inflation under control when unemployment is rising could push unemployment even higher. Cutting interest rates to stimulate the economy could produce more inflation.

My question is, whether "Hiking" and "Cutting" are verbs, or gerunds?

I had a look at this question which has a very complete answer, but it really confuses me the fact that in my sentence the subject ("Interest rates") is followed by the preposition "to" which is used with verbs, but in the question I linked, the verbs starting with -ing are gerunds. Thank you for your time.

• parts-of-speech

• 1 'Hiking' is a verb. If 'Hiking interest rates' were a noun phrase, then the sentence would need different construction, such as "Hiking interest rates that get inflation under control..." –  Weather Vane Commented Dec 8, 2023 at 19:09
• 4 I can only read the hiking and cutting as sentence subjects. It is not true that interest rates . . . could push unemployment higher . Only hiking them could do that. –  Yosef Baskin Commented Dec 8, 2023 at 19:27
• 1 You mean like rising inflation ? No. More like Eating dessert is fun . –  Yosef Baskin Commented Dec 8, 2023 at 19:32
• 2 @CeliusStingher You are correct, "hiking" and "cutting" are gerunds and both function as the subject of the sentence. However, because a gerund is a form of a verb which is used as a noun (as opposed to a 'normal' noun like "table"), it can still be modified by adverbs/adverbial phrases. The phrase starting with "to" in the first sentence is an (adverbial) infinitive phrase expressing purpose , and it modifies the word "hiking." "Interest rates" is the direct object of "hiking," and together with it makes up the noun phrase "hiking interest rates" - i.e. the whole phrase functions as S –  Quack E. Duck Commented Dec 8, 2023 at 20:22
• 5 @WeatherVane ‘Hiking interest rates’ is a noun phrase: it’s a gerund with an object. If it were not a noun phrase (or a clause equivalent to a noun phrase), it would not be able to function as the subject of a finite verb ( could ). Your alternative reading uses hiking as a participle, adjectivally modifying interest rates , which also results in a noun phrase, just a different type of noun phrase. –  Janus Bahs Jacquet Commented Dec 9, 2023 at 12:19

2 Answers 2

Gerunds/participles are a form of a verb. The clause that is headed by an -ing verb can be a subject. But first remember that all gerunds are verbs.

The subject in these sentences isn't "interest rates". Considering the second sentence, the subject is, "Cutting interest rates to stimulate the economy". This long subject is headed by the -ing verb, "cutting". The word "interest rates is the object of the -ing verb "cutting". The infinitive clause, "to stimulate the economy" is a catetative clause, it gives the the purpose of "cutting interest rates".

The word "to" is a subordinator that marks the infinitive "stimulate..." as a subordinate clause.

So we have the rough bracketing

Now you may have read that "A gerund is an -ing clause that functions like a noun" or even "Gerund clauses are nouns". This is confused and confusing. Nouns are words. Verbs are words. Adjectives and prepositions are words. Nouns can head noun phrase. Adjectives can head adjective phrases. Verbs head clauses.

The subject of a clause can be a noun phrase or a subordinate clause, such as a clause headed by an -ing verb. This doesn't mean that the clause "acts like a noun", it just means that the subject of some clauses is a subordinate clause.

Nouns can be modified by adjective phrases (often just a one-word phrase) or by participle clauses, or by relative clauses, or by other nouns. Again the fact that a participle clause is modifying a noun doesn't mean it is "acting like an adjective".

Finally note that not every word ending in "-ing" is a participle. There are some adjectives and nouns that have derived from participles. If you write "He's living in a boring building" then "living" is a participle, "boring" is an adjective, and "building" is a noun.

• 1 Thanks for your answer, in terms of classifying it, I have initially asked ChatGPT to do Part of Speech tagging, and it assigns it as a verb. I do understand gerunds are forms of a verb (as you have said). So "Hiking" is a verb and "Hiking interest rates" would be a noun serving as the subject of a sentence? –  Celius Stingher Commented Dec 9, 2023 at 14:07
• 2 Not exactly. Hiking is a verb. "Hiking interest rates" is a participle/gerund clause, serving as the subject of the sentence. –  James K Commented Dec 9, 2023 at 16:00
• 2 @CeliusStingher You can tell that hiking is a verb here, not a noun, because it takes the direct object interest rates . It is a mistake to think of ‑ɪɴɢ clauses used as subjects as “nouns” because this leads to incorrect choices in potential modifiers. Since it is a verb, it cannot be modified by adjectives or intensfiers, only by adverbs. For example, quickly and carefully are allowed, but not easy , gentle , or very . Most nonprofessional materials about this matter so poorly describe the underlying grammar with oversimplifications that their shortcuts lead to contradictions. –  tchrist Commented Dec 9, 2023 at 19:22
• @tchrist That’s why “short selling” is ungrammatical. –  user3840170 Commented Dec 10, 2023 at 13:10
• @tchrist One can also read this as: the hiking of interest rates, shortened. I just don't think it is so cut and dried. –  Lambie Commented Dec 10, 2023 at 17:36

My question is, whether "Hiking" and "Cutting" are verbs, or a gerunds?

All gerunds are a subcategory of verb functions/forms, so the choice cannot be between gerund and verb, but between gerund and some other type of verb function/form, such as a participle.

...it really confuses me the fact that in my sentence the subject ("Interest rates") is followed by the preposition "to" which is used with verbs...

In English the preposition "to" in this usage can be freely used after both nouns and verbs, so you cannot use its presence to diagnose whether a verb form is a gerund or not. All of the following sentence are equivalent, although not equally idiomatic. Only the last example uses "hiking" as a gerund:

• The government is hiking rates to control inflation.
• The government is making rate hikes to control inflation.
• Rate hikes to control inflation are being made by the government.
• Hiking rates to control inflation is what the government is doing.

You could, of course, use "hiking" as a participle, and not as gerund. For example:

• This is a government hiking interest rates to control inflation.

You could even start the sentence with a participle phrase acting as an adverb, saying:

• Hiking interest rates to control inflation, the government will only push employment higher.

Although this last sentence is perfectly grammatical, it is not the best way to express things, since the semantic relationship between the participle phrase and the rest of the sentence is unclear and puts a large burden on the reader/listener to infer the relationship. If the semantics of such a phrase is not immediately resolved, it is more common to say something like:

While/Though hiking interest rates to control inflation, the government will only push employment higher.

Despite hiking interest rates to control inflation, the government will only push employment higher.

Notice that "hiking" is a participle used used to create an adverb clause in 7, but is a gerund used to create a noun phrase in 8, despite the same form. To prove this difference, note that you could rephrase 8 to say: "Despite the interest rate hikes to control inflation,..."; however, you could not rephrase 7 in this way.

The fact that the same form of verb can be used used with similar semantics, while creating different parts of speech, is one reason that gerunds can be confusing.

• Thanks for your answer, in terms of classifying it, I have initially asked ChatGPT to do Part of Speech tagging, and it assigns it as a verb. Understanding you said it puts a burden on the reader to infer the relationship, can we agree it is being used as noun? Apologies, gerunds are indeed confusing to me! –  Celius Stingher Commented Dec 9, 2023 at 14:09
• 1 Consider posting this as a separate question to get a complete answer. A gerund is always used as a noun within the larger sentence, but it can also function at the same time as a verb within its narrow phrase and govern objects and adverbs. If you have to label it either as a noun or a verb, your choice would depend on your particular purpose, since both are true, but not always equally relevant. –  Vegawatcher Commented Dec 9, 2023 at 14:58
• 1 What you have written is not true. Gerunds are only verbs, never nouns. Once they stop being verbs and become nouns, then they are no longer gerunds. This continued widespread misunderstanding about what parts of speech like noun and verb are versus what grammatical functions like subject and modifier are is the ultimate source of all these mistakes and confusions. –  tchrist Commented Dec 9, 2023 at 22:23
• @Vegawatcher You say "Notice that "hiking" is a participle used as an adverb in 7, but is a gerund used as a noun in 8, despite the same form." You are mistaken, as tchrist points out. In both cases, "hiking" is a verb functioning as predicator (head) of the non-finite clause "Hiking interest rates to control inflation". Please don't post such blatantly wrong answers –  BillJ Commented Dec 10, 2023 at 9:09
• @CeliusStingher Relying on CrapGPT can only serve to confuse you further. –  user3840170 Commented Dec 10, 2023 at 16:32

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