Gerunds are the -ing form of a verb, and infinitives are the to + base form. These words can be confusing; they combine the meaning of a verb with the grammar of a noun. My father asked me to phone ...

A few weeks ago, I mentioned here a CNN article “about the president making an unannounced stop.” Two readers emailed with the same question. Here’s Bill in Niskayuna, N.Y.: “I was taught that a noun ...

The gerund, the infinitive and the participle are the most important, but the most complex of features in the English language. This is the region where even seasoned writers fear to tread. The gerund ...

Even battle-hardened editors reach for their grammar textbooks when certain questions arise. Consider the -ing word, and the role it plays in a sentence such as this: We were worried about his wearing ...

Q: I was taught that the possessive should be used before nouns ending in “ing.” For example, one would say, “your laughing ruined the mood,” rather than “you laughing ruined the mood.” Yet it always ...

How can you begin to improve upon the rough first draft of a letter or a report that obviously needs additional work? My August column offered one answer: review and apply four rhetorical forms that ...