This is an interesting question that has been discussed before, but I want to use it to suggest a fundamental difference among members of this group. (I've already seen that some people have done so to discuss still other differences.)
   Some members of the list believe that grammatical categories are isolated boxes — a word or construction has to be one thing or another, but not both. Thus we see disagreements about whether or not a word is an adjective or an adverb in such and such a sentence.
    KISS Grammar is much more flexible. In general, it allows alternative explanations. In this particular case, however, the KISS explanation is simply multi-faceted. "Smiling," "dancing," and "building" are gerunds. A gerund is a verb that functions as a noun. Nouns frequently function as adverbs. Therefore these words are gerunds that function as adverbs.
 
    My point is not primarily to give the KISS explanation, but rather to suggest a major philosophical difference that underlies some of the grammatical theories that are proposed on this site. These assumptions, unless they are clearly addressed,  cause further confusion for many teachers.
Ed

>>> [log in to unmask] 7/25/2006 7:00:03 PM >>>
To ATEG folks-
      I have joined this listserve at the suggestion of NCTE in order to seek advice about the following grammar issue.  As a brash newcomer, I will dive right in.  I beg the indulgence of veterans for any lapses of local culture or etiquette.
 
Here are 3 model sentences:
#1.  I spent the morning smiling.
#2.  I have trouble dancing in the dark.
#3.  I spent the weekend building a shed.
 
      What are those "ing" words?  They're not gerunds used as direct objects; "morning," "trouble," and "weekend" seem to be the direct objects.
-Possible explanation  A:  Participles that are oddly placed?  (smiling I, dancing I, building I)
-Possible explanation B:  Are they gerunds in understood prepositional phrases that serve as adverbs to modify the verb?              
            I spent the morning [in] smiling
            I have trouble [with] dancing in the dark.
            I spent the weekend [in] building a shed.    
 
-Possible explanation C:  Some sort of obscure direct object?  (Doesn't really fit the definition or word order - IO before DO).
-Possible explanation D;   A Latinate structure.  For example, ablative absolute in Latin becomes a nominative absolute in English.  Although the Latin specifications for an ablative absolute seem to fit, the English versions provided on the web don't fit the model.
 
    With sincere thanks for any light you can shine on this mystery,
    Maureen
 
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