Reducing Noun Clauses to Gerund Phrases, Part 1. In the previous lesson, you learned how to reduce noun clauses to infinitive phrases. But you can also reduce some noun clauses to gerund phrases. Since you already learned about how to reduce noun clauses to infinitive phrases. This lesson will focus only on how to reduce them to gerund phrases. What is a gerund? Do you remember? A gerund is simply a verb with ing that acts as a noun. For example, reviewing is a gerund. I recommend reviewing noun clauses. Actually, this is an example of a noun clause which has been reduced to a gerund phrase. Can you think of what the original full noun clause might have been? It was this. I recommend that you review noun clauses. Notice that we have removed that and you. And have made review a gerund, reviewing. See how easy it is? Of course, not every noun clause can be reduced in this way. Here is a list of verbs that can be followed by a noun clause that begins with that. Or by a reduced noun clause, or a gerund phrase. Recommend, suggest, and propose are used similarly. Because they have a similar meaning. That is, when someone recommends, suggests, or proposes something. It is usually to another person. So if I say, I recommend that you study, it's okay. However, saying something like I recommend that I study is rather strange. So these first three verbs, recommend, suggest and propose, have a similar meaning and use. Especially with regards to reducing noun clauses that follow them. Let's take a look at an example. After the ducks had had their heads in the water for several minutes. Jan recommended that they come up for air. That they come up for air is the noun clause, and we can reduce it to a gerund phrase. Jan recommended coming up for air. Notice, we simply removed that and they, and made come, coming. Notice that we don't have a pronoun in the reduced noun clause. We don't need a pronoun before the gerund. That's because, within the context, it's obvious to whom the recommendation is being given. Generally speaking, with verbs like recommend, propose, and suggest. No pronoun is needed in the reduced clause or the gerund phrase. Because a recommendation, suggestion, or proposal is always intended for another person. This example is in the past tense. Jan recommended coming up for air. However, notice that when we change the tense in the main clause. Jan recommends coming up for air. The gerund phrase does not change at all. Jan is going to recommend coming up for air. Let's look at another example with suggest. Carl tried to dry his wings in the cool breeze. At that point, the rest of the flock suggested that he take a bath. I guess he was dirty. We can reduce the noun clause, that he take a bath, to taking a bath. The flock suggested taking a bath. Notice, again, the verb in the main clause, suggested, appears in the simple past. But this does not affect the gerund phrase. Because we could also say, the flock are suggesting, right now, taking a bath. Again, notice that no pronoun is necessary here. I showed you an example of how to use recommend and suggest with a reduced noun cause. And propose works in the same way. In the second part of this lesson, we will discuss the remaining verbs. That concludes Part 1. See you soon.
