Gerunds and Present Participles.
The -ing form acting as verb, adjective or noun. Definition, Examples, Quiz

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Participles come in two varieties: past participle and present participle. They are two of the five forms that every verb has. See example below.

Infinitive Simple
Present 		Simple
Past 		Past
Participle 		Present
Participle
Regular Verbs
to enjoy enjoy(s) enjoyed enjoyed enjoying
to help help(s) helped helped helping
to answer answer(s) answered answered answering
Irregular Verbs
to drive drive(s) drove driven driving
to spend spend(s) spent spent spending

A Present Participle is the form of a verb, always ending in -ing. It's most commonly used to form continuous verb tenses, or it can function as adjectives or nouns. When present participle is used as noun, it is called Gerund.

Gerund is a verb form ending in -ing (present participle) but that functions as a noun. Thus it can be in the position of subject, direct object, indirect objects and in any other place where noun could be used.

Present Participle as a verb. (as part of the continuous form of a verb)

I am running

I will be running

I would have been running

That lesson is boring me. That lesson is very boring me.

Present Participle as an adjective that describes noun. If it is difficult to distinguish between adjective and verbal uses, test its 'very' acceptability. If adding very makes sense, it is an adjective, if it does not, it is a verb.

Running water

Fast-running river

Running girl

That lesson is boring. That lesson is very boring.

Gerund - Present Participle used as a Noun

I enjoy running.

Running is good for you.

I look forward to running with you.