Gerunds (Avoiding Gerunds Considered Harmful)

[Tommy Reynolds]

Uttered "Paul W. Frields" <stickster at gmail.com>, spake thus:

> In the spirit of Elizabeth West's recent tips for better writing,
> here's one to consider:
> 
> Avoid the gerund wherever possible.
> 
> Gerunds are those words in English that end in "-ing."  Sentences that
> use them tend to feature awkward construction, passive voice, and lack
> of conciseness.  Gerunds also translate awkwardly in many languages.

Gerunds tend to introduce inverted sentences; although many languages
do tend to such constructions (ala vin ordinare) many do not.

Still, I like using gerunds for topics or outline headings.  In these
cases gerunds are dynamic and forceful, setting a clear expectation
of the content.

Gerunding in sentences, however, lead to weak sentences.  Why work
harder when simpler is clearer?

Tommy