Verbal noun

A verbal noun is a noun formed directly as an inflexion of a verb or a verb stem, sharing at least in part its constructions. This term is applied especially to gerunds, and sometimes also to infinitives (see infinitive mood ) and supines.

Examples of the verbal noun in English sentences:

• The question of being is an intrinsic part of philosophy. (being is a gerund)
• The writing of a book is always an ambitious undertaking. (writing is the verbal noun)
• I am against the removal of the previous candidate. (removal is technically a verbal noun, but see below)
• To speak is not to listen. (to speak and to listen are infinitives acting as nouns; in other words: Speaking means that one is not listening; here, speaking is a gerund, and listening a present participle)
• Going is hardly as easy as standing. (going and standing are imperfect participles, or infinitives in -ing acting as nouns; in other words, gerunds)

Some claim that true nouns sharing the stem of their respective verbs are also verbal nouns (such as survival from survive). However, in English grammar it is a little accepted view, on the grounds that it would make nearly all nouns verbal nouns; but in some other languages, such as Arabic, that view is the only possible one, as there is no gerund or infinitive form of a verb (the Arabic masdar is a verbal noun: naql, for example, can be translated as "transporting" or "to transport", but its literal meaning is "transportation".)

In other languages:

German:

• Das Trinken des Wassers ist uns wesentlich ("to drink water is essential to us" - Trinken is the verbal noun)

Arabic:

• mina lmumkini muqābalatuhu ghadan ("it is possible to interview him tommorow" - muqābalah is the verbal noun, and its literal meaning is "an interview")