Spanish Gerund Following Verbs Other Than Estar

Spanish Gerund Following Verbs Other Than Estar The Spanish gerund - the verb form ending in -ando or -iendo - is used frequently with forms of estar to form the progressive tenses. However, it can also be used with other verbs, sometimes with meanings that are similar to the progressive tenses. Verbs Often Used With the Gerund Here are some of the most common verbs that can be followed by the gerund: Seguir or Continuar These verbs typically mean to keep on or to continue. With this usage, the two verbs are generally interchangeable with little difference in meaning. Sony sigue hablando mal del plasma, mientras sigue lanzando televisores LCD. (Sony keeps on speaking poorly of plasma while it keeps on releasing LCD televisions.)Venezuela continuar comprando cemento cubano. (Venezuela will keep on buying Cuban cement.)Muchas veces seguimos durmiendo ms de lo que deberà ­amos. (Many times we continue sleeping longer than we should.)Las cuatro continuaban peleando y un hombre que se movilizaba en una motocicleta aprovechà ³ para robarles. (The four kept on fighting and a man on a motorcycle took advantage of the situation to rob them.) Andar Although standing alone andar typically means to walk, when followed by a gerund it means roughly the same as to go around doing something in a rather pointless or unproductive fashion. If youre translating to English, the translation can vary considerably with context. Andar generally has a negative connotation when used this way. Descubrà ­ el foro porque andaba navegando en Internet. (I discovered the forum because I was browsing around the Internet.)Katy anda comiendo todo el dà ­a. (Katy goes around eating all day.)Tà º sabes que todos andamos buscando una vida que satisfaga. (You know that all of us spend our time looking for a satisfying life.) Ir Sometimes, ir is used in the same way as andar, above. But it usually doesnt have the negative connotation. In fact, it usually suggests that the action in progress is proceeding gradually or steadily. Again, translations of ir followed by the Spanish gerund can vary with the context. Vamos estudiando mejor la situacià ³n real del pueblo. (We are coming to study better the real situation of the people.)Fueron comprando trozo a trozo el terreno durante un proceso de unos quince aà ±os ms o menos. (They went about buying the land one piece at a time during a process that lasted 15 years more or less.)Los estudiantes van ganando influencia. (The students are steadily gaining influence.) Venir Followed with a gerund, venir often refers to something that has been occurring for a long time and is still continuing. It sometimes conveys frustration that the action isnt complete. As in the first two examples below, it is often used to indicate how long something has been occurring. En los à ºltimos aà ±os, se viene hablando de liderazgo. (In recent years, much has been spoken about leadership.)Hace seis meses que viene probando suerte como modelo en Parà ­s. (For the past six months she has been trying her luck as a model in Paris.)Vienen diciendome que no soy normal. (They have been telling me that Im not normal.) Following Other Verbs With Gerunds In general, most verbs can be followed by a gerund as a way of indicating how the first verbs action in performed. In effect, the gerund functions much as an adverb. In many cases, sentences using a gerund in this way cant be translated word for word.. A few examples: Empezamos escuchando y terminamos entendiendo todo. (We begin by listening and finish by understanding everything.)De pronto nos encontramos escribiendo una nueva historia. (Suddenly we found ourselves writing a new story.)Antonio miraba estudiando todos mis movimientos. (Antonio watched me, studying all of my movements.)Buscamos en su Instagram unos fotos donde aparezcas sonriendo. (We are searching on your Instagram feed for photos where you appear to be smiling.)  Ã‚ ¡Ã‚ ¡Ella perdià ³ 12 kilos bebiendo este jugo milagroso!! (She lost 12 kilograms by drinking this miracle juice!) Key Takeaways The gerund is used most often with estar to form the progressive or continuous tenses.It can also be used with several other verbs, among them seguir and continuar, to convey an idea similar to a progressive tense.In other situations, the gerund can function much like an adverb in modifying or explaining the meaning of another verb.

Definition and Examples of Clustering in Composition

Definition and Examples of Clustering in Composition In composition, a discovery strategy in which the writer groups ideas in a nonlinear fashion, using lines and circles to indicate relationships. Clustering Clustering (sometimes also known as branching or mapping) is a structured technique based on the same associative principles as brainstorming and listing. Clustering is distinct, however, because it involves a slightly more developed heuristic (Buzan Buzan, 1993; Glenn et al., 2003; Sharples, 1999; Soven, 1999). Clustering procedures vary considerably, although the fundamental objective is to equip students with tools for arranging words, phrases, concepts, memories, and propositions triggered by a single stimulus (i.e., a piece of information, a topic, a provocative question, a metaphor, a visual image). As with other [invention] techniques..., clustering should first be modeled and practiced in class so students can eventually incorporate the tool into their own repertoire of invention and planning strategies.(Dana Ferris and John Hedgcock, Teaching ESL Composition: Purpose, Process, and Practice, 2nd ed. Lawrence Erlbaum, 2005) Guidelines for Teaching the Clustering Process What instructions should you give to begin this prewriting process? I have found the following both appropriate and effective:(Gabriele Lusser Rico, Clustering: A Prewriting Process, in Practical Ideas for Teaching Writing As a Process, ed. by Carol B. Olson. Diane, 1996)Tell students that they are going to use a tool that will enable them to write more easily and more powerfully, a tool similar to brainstorming.Encircle a word on the boardfor example, energyand ask students, What do you think of when you see that word? Encourage all responses. Cluster these responses, radiating outward. When they have finished giving their responses, say, See how many ideas there are floating around in your heads? Now, if you cluster all by yourself, you will have a set of connections as unique to your own mind as a thumbprint is to your thumb.Now ask students to cluster a second word for themselves. Before they begin, tell them that the clustering process should take no more than one or two minutes and that the paragraph they will write should take about eight minutes. Ask them to keep clustering until the Aha! shift, signaling that their mind is holding something they can shape into a whole. In writing, the only constraint is that they come full circle: i.e., that they do not leave the writing unfinished. Some excellent words are afraid or try or help.After they finish writing, ask students to give a title to what they have written that is suggestive of the whole. Mind-Mapping Mind-mapping is a colorful and creative method of generating, organizing, and remembering ideas. To mind-map, write your topic in the center of a blank page within a visual representation of your topic, such as a giant musical note, a sailboat, or scuba gear. If no central image comes to mind, use a box, heart, circle, or other shape. Then use various colors of ink to color-code related ideas. From the central figure draw radiating lines like the rays of the sun or branches and roots of a tree. Then, as you think of parts of the subject you wish to discuss, jot down pictures, key words, or phrases on or near these lines. Also add examples and subparts using branching lines and more images and words. If you do not already have a central focus for your essay, watch for a key phrase or image as you complete your exploration.(Diana Hacker and Betty Renshaw, Writing With a Voice, 2nd ed. Scott, Foresman, 1989) Also Known As: branching, mapping