Identify the underlined word : The old man was tired of walking.

Question

Accepted Answer

The underlined word "walking" in the sentence "The old man was tired of walking" is a **Gerund** (Option 3).

Here's why:

*   **Gerunds function as nouns.** A gerund is a verb form ending in "-ing" that functions as a noun. In this sentence, "walking" is the object of the preposition "of." Nouns can be objects of prepositions. Therefore, "walking" is acting as a noun.

Here's why the other options are incorrect:

*   **Participle:** Participles are verb forms that can function as adjectives or be part of a verb phrase. While participles also end in "-ing," they modify nouns or are part of a continuous verb tense. In this sentence, "walking" is not modifying a noun, nor is it part of a continuous verb tense. It's the object of the preposition "of."
*   **Noun:** While gerunds *are* nouns, the more specific and accurate term for a verb form ending in "-ing" that functions as a noun is "gerund." Calling it simply a "noun" is not incorrect, but "gerund" is the more precise grammatical term. However, the question asks for the *identification* of the word, and "gerund" is the specific type of noun it is.
*   **Adjective:** Adjectives modify nouns. "Walking" in this sentence does not modify any noun. It's the object of the preposition "of," fulfilling a noun's role in the sentence.