Which of the following sentences has a gerund phrase :

Question

Accepted Answer

Option 1, "She enjoys playing tennis," is the correct answer because it contains a gerund phrase. A gerund is a verb form that ends in "-ing" and functions as a noun. In this sentence, "playing tennis" is the gerund phrase. "Playing" is the gerund, and it acts as the object of the verb "enjoys." The entire phrase "playing tennis" functions as a noun, indicating what she enjoys.

Now, let's examine why the other options are incorrect:

Option 2: "The children come running to meet us."
In this sentence, "running" is a present participle, not a gerund. It describes the action of the children as they come, functioning as an adjective rather than a noun. Therefore, there is no gerund phrase in this sentence.

Option 3: "We soon got talking."
Here, "talking" is a present participle used in a participial phrase. It describes the action that follows "got," but it does not function as a noun. Thus, there is no gerund phrase present in this sentence.

Option 4: "She sat smiling at me."
In this sentence, "smiling" is a present participle that describes the action of "she" while sitting. It functions as an adjective, not a noun, so there is no gerund phrase in this sentence.

In summary, Option 1 is the only sentence that contains a gerund phrase, "playing tennis," which functions as a noun and serves as the object of the verb "enjoys."