Identify the underlined word in the sentence:

The old man was tired of walking.

The correct answer is 'Gerund'.

Key Points

• A gerund is that form of the verb which ends in -ing, and has the force of a Noun and a Verb.
  • Example - He is fond of playing cricket.
• In the given sentence, the Gerund like a noun is governed by a preposition 'of' but like a verb, it also takes an object 'tired'.
• Thus, the underlined word 'walking' is a Gerund.

Hence, the correct answer is option (1).

Additional Information

• As the both gerund and the present participle end in -ing, they must be carefully distinguished.
  • The Gerund has force of a Noun and a verb, it is a Verbal Noun.
  • The Present participle has the force of an Adjective and a Verb, it is a Verbal Adjective.
    • Example - He is fond of playing cricket. (Gerund)
                        Playing cricket, he gained health. (Present Participle)