ING Words

In English, words often change form depending on tense and the use of prefixes and suffixes. -ing is one such suffix, which is added to verbs to form ING words. In this guide, you will learn about ING words, how to form them, their types, uses, and a list of examples.

Table of Contents

• What Are ING Words?
• How to Form ING Words
• Types of ING Words
• Uses of ING Words
• List of ING Words in English

What Are ING Words?

Words that are formed by adding the suffix -ing to the base form of a verb are called ING words. ING words are used to show actions that are happening continuously or are in progress. For example, run becomes running, play becomes playing, and drink becomes drinking.

In English, ING words are important as they have different functions. They are used to form continuous tenses, such as “She is reading”, and can also act as nouns (gerunds), as in “Reading is fun”, or as adjectives, like a “smiling face”.

How to Form ING Words

ING words are formed by adding the suffix -ing to the base form of a verb. Here are some basic rules for forming ING words.

Add -ing to the verb Examples:

• play → playing
• read → reading

Drop the silent “e” and add -ing

• make → making
• write → writing

Double the final consonant (for short vowel words)

• run → running
• sit → sitting

Change “ie” to “y” and add -ing

• lie → lying
• die → dying

Verbs ending in “ee”, “ye”, or “oe”

• see → seeing
• agree → agreeing

Types of ING Words

Based on the usage, there are different types of ING words. The main types of ING words are:

Present participles (Verb form): When ING words are used with helping verbs like is, am, are, was, or were, they form continuous tenses and show ongoing actions. Examples: She is reading a book. They were playing football.

Gerunds (Noun form): When ING words act as nouns, they are called gerunds. They can be used as the subject or object of a sentence. Examples: Swimming is good exercise. I enjoy reading.

ING Words as adjectives: ING words can also describe a noun. In this case, they function as adjectives. Examples: It was an interesting story. She has a smiling face.

Uses of ING Words

ING words are used in different ways based on their function in a sentence. The uses of ING words are:

• To Show Continuous Actions: ING words are used with helping verbs to form continuous tenses and describe actions that are happening or were happening. Examples: She is reading a book. They were playing outside.
• As Subjects of a Sentence: ING words can act as the subject of a sentence when used as gerunds. Examples: Swimming is good for health. Reading improves knowledge.
• As Objects of a Sentence: They can also be used after verbs or prepositions as objects. Examples: I enjoy dancing. She is fond of painting.
• To Describe Nouns (Adjectives): ING words can describe nouns by giving more information about them. Examples: It is an interesting movie. He has a smiling face.
• After Prepositions: ING words are commonly used after prepositions like in, on, at, by, and for. Examples: She is good at singing. He left without saying goodbye.

List of ING Words in English

• Running
• Eating
• Playing
• Reading
• Writing
• Singing
• Dancing
• Walking
• Talking
• Jumping
• Swimming
• Driving
• Cooking
• Cleaning
• Drawing
• Painting
• Climbing
• Riding
• Working
• Helping
• Thinking
• Feeling
• Loving
• Caring
• Worrying
• Hoping
• Trying
• Enjoying
• Learning
• Understanding
• Making
• Taking
• Giving
• Coming
• Baking
• Saving
• Creating
• Designing
• Building
• Managing
• Solving
• Growing
• Changing
• Moving
• Opening
• Closing
• Entering
• Leaving
• Buying
• Selling
• Sending
• Receiving
• Carrying
• Bringing
• Choosing
• Following
• Leading
• Meeting
• Calling
• Sharing
• Checking
• Fixing
• Pushing
• Pulling
• Turning
• Reaching
• Catching
• Throwing
• Lifting
• Holding
• Breaking
• Washing
• Drying
• Ironing
• Sweeping
• Mopping
• Gardening
• Fishing
• Hunting
• Exploring
• Discovering
• Visiting
• Staying
• Waiting
• Searching
• Finding
• Keeping
• Remembering
• Forgetting
• Believing
• Deciding
• Planning
• Organizing
• Preparing
• Finishing
• Starting
• Continuing
• Improving
• Reducing
• Increasing
• Studying
• Practicing
• Watching
• Listening
• Speaking
• Travelling
• Teaching
• Training
• Developing
• Producing
• Delivering
• Supporting
• Encouraging
• Inspiring
• Motivating
• Celebrating
• Communicating
• Connecting
• Protecting
• Controlling
• Managing
• Operating
• Recording
• Reporting
• Responding
• Requesting
• Suggesting
• Explaining
• Describing
• Comparing
• Analyzing
• Observing
• Measuring
• Calculating
• Estimating
• Testing
• Checking
• Verifying
• Validating
• Approving
• Rejecting
• Accepting
• Completing
• Achieving
• Succeeding
• Failing
• Trying
• Attempting
• Beginning
• Ending
• Repeating
• Continuing
• Pausing
• Stopping
• Resuming
• Improving
• Declining
• Rising
• Falling
• Expanding
• Shrinking
• Adapting
• Adjusting
• Balancing
• Combining
• Separating
• Dividing
• Mixing
• Blending
• Pouring
• Filling
• Emptying
• Covering
• Uncovering
• Wrapping
• Unwrapping
• Locking
• Unlocking
• Opening
• Closing
• Entering
• Exiting
• Arriving
• Departing
• Travelling
• Commuting
• Returning
• Approaching
• Leaving
• Escaping
• Avoiding
• Preventing
• Allowing
• Permitting
• Denying
• Refusing
• Offering
• Providing
• Supplying
• Delivering
• Ordering
• Purchasing
• Selling
• Exchanging
• Borrowing
• Lending
• Paying
• Earning
• Spending
• Saving
• Investing
• Donating
• Sharing
• Giving
• Taking