I.Identify the boldface words in these sentences as gerunds or participles. Remember, the key is to decide whether the underlined word is working like a noun (gerund) or adjective (participle).

1. The teacher takes malicious pleasure in kicking his cats.

2. That boy appears to be allergic to studying.

3. Exercising very poor judgement, the foolish student failed to bribe his teacher before the exam.

4. The door being open, Gomez peered into the room.

5. A rolling stone gathers no moss.

6. No previous knowledge of baking is required to burn cookies.

7. The fragrance of pizza baking in the oven wafted through the house.

8. Observe that, by adding just a dash of color here, your picture of daffodils blooming comes alive.

9. The croaking of the crows circling high overhead created a cacophany calculated to confound.

10. I applaud your skillful driving.

II. Translate these sentences, paying particular attention to the gerunds (and watch out for the odd participle):

1. Brutus odit Caesaris sumendum omnem auctoritatem Romae.

odi, odisse: hate (only in perfect system tenses)

sumo, sumere, sumpsi, sumptum: take up, assume

auctoritas, -tatis, f.: power

 

2. Augustus senatum populumque Romanum tradendo imperium delectavit.

trado, tradere, tradidi, traditum: give up, hand over

imperium, -i, n.: command; power; authority

delecto (1): please, delight

 

3. Quintus in fundo manet ad evitandum negotia in urbe.

evito (1): avoid

negotium -i, n.: task; business

 

4. Quintus, in fundo manens, negotia in urbe evitavit.

 

5. Antonius vulgum incitavit in sepeliendo Caesarem.

vulgus, -i, m.: mob; masses; common citizens

incito (1): stir up; incite

sepelio, sepelire: bury

III. Translate the boldface word(s) into Latin, bearing in mind (still) the gerund/participle distinction.

1. By refusing the crown Caesar tried to prove that he would not become king of Rome.

refuse: recuso (1)

crown: corona, -ae, f.

 

2. Maecenas has had enough of Quintus' complaining about the roaches on his estate.

complain: queror, queri, questus sum

 

3. "The time for defeating Antonius has come," thought Octavian.

defeat: vinco, vincere, vici, victum

 

4. By teaching does one learn.

teach: doceo, docere, docui, doctum

 

5. Because of his composing beautiful poems, Augustus is willing to let Quintus refuse his offer to become a secretary.

compose: compono, componere, composui, compositum