NOUNS, PRONOUNS, AND NOUN EQUIVALENTS

VERBAL NOUNS

Verbals are verb forms that play the role of another part of speech. When verb forms act as nouns they are referred to as noun equivalents. Two different verb forms can act as nouns: infinitives and present participles.

Infinitives are verbs preceded by “to.” They refer to the unconjugated form of verbs.
Examples: To win was the only option. (The infinitive to win is the subject.)

I love to paint. (The infinitive to paint is the direct object.)

As you will see in the lesson on basic sentence structure, a subject must contain a noun or pronoun. To win is neither noun nor pronoun but it acts as a noun because it is the subject so we call it a noun equivalent.

To paint is an infinitive acting as the object of the sentence. This function, too, requires a noun or noun substitute, which makes to paint a noun equivalent.

Present participle forms of verbs can also act as noun equivalents. The simple form (the infinitive minus to) of a verb plus the inflection, or ending, –ing is called the present participle. Gerund is the grammar term given to a present participle when it acts as a noun.
Examples: Swimming builds cardio-pulmonary stamina.

I’ll take studying over exercising any day!

In the first sentence, the present participle swimming is the subject of the sentence and must therefore be a noun equivalent.

In the second sentence, studying is the direct object of the sentence. The sentence also contains an object of the preposition, a function that must be performed by a noun or pronoun. Exercising is the object of the preposition over and is, therefore, a noun equivalent.

PRONOUNS