Yesterday at the gym I heard someone ask, “What is a gerund anyway?” Out of my mouth came the information that it is a verb turned into a noun. Gazooks! I hadn’t thought about gerunds since 7th grade. That would be 58 years ago, more or less. That entire year we were drilled on parts of speech and diagrammed longer and more complex sentences as the year went on.
My short term memory seems to be getting weaker. I can’t hold a telephone number in its entirety any more, but need to write it down. I went to the store last week to buy salsa for a special pork dish. I came home with dog food, whipped cream, milk and a greeting card. Now it it is true that we needed all these things, but I forgot the salsa. I will go upstairs to get something and then look around trying to remember what I came upstairs for.
But remembering the definition of “gerund” on the spur of the moment has given me a new view of my memory. Apparently my deep storage system where such things as parts of speech and sentence diagrams reside has thawed out and is ready to deliver a wide variety of information. Some have asked me how I remember such vivid details of my childhood. You are witnessing a display of this thawed deep storage system.
I hope that this change in memory will allow me to let go of minor grievances in my present life. I hope that it doesn’t awaken long forgotten grudges from year ago. Such as “why did Tim send me that mean Valentine in 4th grade?” Uh oh!
Saved By Words 
Karen ,sort of glad to hear it isn’t just me with short term memory stuff
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No problem Fred.
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I too forget something that is in my list !!
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It was good to read about Gerunds. When I first started reading Haikus I had to read what a syllable was !! Correct grammar is such an integral part of our daily life that we don’t really think about it.
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We need it to write poetry.
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😂😂 where’s Tim? We need an answer Tim 🤣🤣
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My dad said it meant he liked me. I think,Tim fled to South America!
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😂😂😂
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Like you, I haven’t heard of the word since I was in high school.
As we grow older, we tend to be forgetful.
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Gerund? Where did that come from? Do you mind me asking you what gee-rund is? I am chucking here. All I can say is you have a full mind, the mind is full! At least, the dog won’t go hungry.
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I forgot to press ‘send’ my comment, Elizabeth. See, you are not the only one. OMG-ing went running off my mind. Did I say at least the dog has something to eat? I don’t know sentence structure because English is my second language. One thing I know that the word to + verb we have to add ‘ing’ at the end. Besides when I read the sentence, it just doesn’t sound right without the ‘ing.” Correct me if I am wrong.
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I got confused between the half first comment and this one. Be assured that I now think I follow you. At any rate, I had no idea that English was your second language. And gerunds are a part of speech.
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Elizabeth, I’m right there with you. However, “gerund” seems to have escaped my long term memory. Maybe now it will stick with me, because it sure didn’t the first time!
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I wonder if you will find yourself somewhere with someone asking “what’s a gerund?”😂🤣😂
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I hope so. If I do, now I’m prepared!
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I sometimes also go to get something and come back without it, Elizabeth. I think to much on your mind also has this effect.
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I like that as an excuse. It beats thinking I have fewer brain cells!
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