Gerunds or Participles

Asking questions is a whole lot easier than answering them.

Asking - gerund, subject of is; answering - gerund

I was surprised at John's being absent.

Being - gerund, object of the participle at

The motorcyclist was fatally injured in the accident and is now fighting for his life.

Fighting - participle, qualifying the noun motorcyclist.

Hearing a loud noise, we ran to the window.

Hearing - participle, qualifying the pronoun we

Jumping over the fence, the thief escaped.

Jumping - participle, qualifying the noun thief

We spent the whole day playing cards.

Playing - gerund, complement of the noun whole day

Plucking flowers is forbidden.

Plucking - gerund; subject of the verb is

Praising all alike is praising none.

Praising - gerund, subject of the verb is; praising - gerund, complement of the verb is

Singing to herself is her chief delight.

Singing - gerund, subject of the verb is

Are you afraid of speaking the truth?

Speaking - gerund, object of the preposition of

A miser hates spending his money.

Spending - gerund, object of the verb hates

We saw a clown standing on his head.

Standing - participle, qualifying the noun clown

John was angry at Alice trying to lie to her.

Trying - gerund, object of the preposition at

He ruined his sight by watching TV all day.

Watching - gerund, object of the preposition by

Waving their hands, the audience cheered the winner.

Waving - participle, qualifying the noun audience