Using Gerund ????

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Anonymous

#449616 Tue, 04 Dec 07 05:39 PM

I turned on the computer to check, look up some things. Then chatting incidentally to an French.

In other words : I turned on the computer to check, look up some things. Then I chatted incidentally to an French.

I'd prefer to use the gerund like the first sentence, is it correct ? Or else, how to fix it with gerund ?

Thanks for your help.

Anonymous

Gerunds

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Grammar Geek

#449640 Tue, 04 Dec 07 07:45 PM

Anon, I'm sorry, but you have several problems here.

I turned on the computer to check, look up some things. Then chatting incidentally to an French.

I turned on the computer to check [to check what? you need an object. to check the weather, etc.], looked some things up, and then chatted with a person from France.

In other words : I turned on the computer to check, look up some things. Then I chatted incidentally to an French.

I'd prefer to use the gerund like the first sentence, There is no gerund in the first sentence

is it correct ? Or else, how to fix it with gerund ? Gerunds are not appropriate here. I like chatting on the computer is a gerund.

Thanks for your help. I hope it helps.

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

Veteran Member (15,990)

Barbara, who answers in American English.

Gerunds

Buddhaheart

#449729 Tue, 04 Dec 07 11:58 PM

Anonymous wrote:

I turned on the computer to check, look up some things. Then chatting incidentally to an French.

‘… *an French’ or ‘… a French’?

Buddhaheart

Joined on Sat, Jan 20 2007

Vancouver Canada

Full Member (130)

Gerunds

Anonymous

#449756 Wed, 05 Dec 07 02:45 AM

Thanks for your replies;

Then chatting incidentally with a French.

I'd like to use gerund in that sentence (with no subject). How do I use ?

Anonymous

Gerunds

Yankee

#449761 Wed, 05 Dec 07 03:05 AM

Buddhaheart wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

I turned on the computer to check, look up some things. Then chatting incidentally to an French.

‘… *an French’ or ‘… a French’?

Yes, the article should be 'a', and the word 'French' is an adjective which needs to modify a noun such as 'person':
... chatting with a French person...

Yankee

Joined on Sat, Apr 15 2006

Connecticut, USA

Senior Member (4,263)

Amy "You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." - Mark Twain

Nouns, Articles, Gerunds

Yankee

#449762 Wed, 05 Dec 07 03:08 AM

Anonymous wrote:
Thanks for your replies;

Then chatting incidentally with a French.

I'd like to use gerund in that sentence (with no subject). How do I use ?

Your sentence is not a complete sentence. It is a sentence fragment.
This would be a complete sentence, for example:

Chatting with French people is fun.