英语动名词是非谓动词的一种形式。从形式上，它与正在进行时中的分词相同，都是在动词原形的末尾加上-ing。但是动名词的用法与现在分词还是有很大区别的。
英语动名词有两个特点，1、它是从动词变化而来的，所以它保留了动词的某些特征，例如它能带自己的宾语、状语等，这时就叫动名词短语；2、顾名思义，动名词最大的特点是它相当于一个名词，因此，动名词可以在句中作主语、宾语等。因为它作为名词来使用，所以动名词也有像名词一样的所有格形式。
1、作主语
动名词是由动词变化而来，所以，动名词的意义往往是表示某个动作或某件事情。例如：
Breathing became difficult at that altitude.
在那个海拔高度呼吸变得很困难。
Reading English aloud in the morning will do you a lot of good.
早晨朗读英文会给你带来许多好处。
Cheating on an exam ruins one's character.
考试作弊毁坏人的性格。
It takes me ten minutes to get home from my office.
我从办公室回家要花十分钟。
It needs time to make three copies of it.
把它复制三份需要时间。
His being elected our chairman made us think of a lot.
他当选为我们的主席使我们想起了许多许多。
动名词作主语时，对于一些比较长的动名词短语，一般采用It is 和There is 两种句式来表示。例如：
It is no use waiting for him any longer.
等他是没有用的。
It is no good learning without practice.
学而不实践是没好处的。
It is dangerous using this method to measure the speed of light.
用这种方法去测量光速是危险的。
It is worthwhile consulting your tutor about it again.
很值得再向你的指导老师咨询一下这个问题。
There is no joking about such matters.
这种事开不得玩笑。
There is no denying the fact that China has made a rapid progress in every aspect since it was founded.
不容抵赖这个事实，中国自它成立以来已在各个方面都取得了飞速的发展。
There is no littering about.
不许乱扔杂物。
2、作定语
动名词作定语的情况并不是很普遍，一般只限于单个的动名词作定语，表示用于的或表示处于某件事情中的含义。例如：
swimming pool 游泳池 reading material 阅读材料
walking stick 手杖 floating needle 浮针
opening speech 开幕词 listening aid 助听器
waiting room 候车室 running water 自来水
developing countries 发展中国家 working people 劳动人民
sleeping child 熟睡孩子
3、 作表语
动名词作表语的时候，特别要注意：不要与正在进行时混淆。动名词作表语，表达的是某件事等。例如：
His part-time job is promoting new products for the company. （动名词）
他的业余工作是为那家公司推销新产品。
Reading is for sure learning, but applying is also learning to a greater extent.（动名词）
读书当然是学习，然而运用在很大程度上更是学习。
Their task is exploring oil mines in the west. （动名词）
他们的任务是在西部探查油矿。
动名词作表语，容易与现在分词作表语相混淆。记住：动名词表语表达的是某件事(与不定式短语的意义相近)，而现在分词表语表示具有某个作用。例如：
The situation is very much encouraging.（现在分词）
形势非常令人鼓舞。
His present job is not that stimulating as he expected. （现在分词）
他现在的工作并不是那么有刺激性。
Their plan is to build another dormitory for their staff this year. （不定式）
他们的计划是今年再为员工们建一栋宿舍楼。
His wish is to become a pilot. （不定式）
他的愿望是当飞行员。
4、作宾语
(1) 动名词跟在及物动词后做宾语。例如：
He managed to escape suffering from the disease.
他设法避免患那种疾病。
After hearing the funny story, all of us couldn't help laughing ear to ear.
听完了那个滑稽故事，我们忍不住大笑了。
Excuse my interrupting you for a while .
请原谅我打扰你一会儿。
Prof. Smith considered giving his students a reading list before they started the next chapter.
史密斯教授考虑在学生们学习下一章之前给他们一份读书清单。
When he came back home from his night shift, Jason tried to avoid wakening his family.
当杰逊下夜班回到家时，他尽力不弄醒他的家人。
The suspect denied turning on the computer in the office that night.
犯罪嫌疑人否认他那晚开过办公室的电脑。
(2) 英语中，在介词后面也要用动名词作宾语。例如：
I'm looking forward to your coming next time.
我期待着您下一次的到来。
On hearing our delegation in Sydney had won 28 gold medals, all the Chinese people cheered up with great joy and showed their great respects to our athletes.
当听到我国在悉尼的奥运代表团获得了28块金牌时，全 中国人民都高兴地欢呼起来，并向我们的运动健儿们表示崇高的敬意。
The simplest kind of advertising is the classified ad.
最简单的广告是分类广告。
They are against using so many animals in experiments.
他们反对用如此多的动物去做试验。
I don't remember ever seeing her any time.
我不记得曾几何时见过她。
He apologized for interrupting us.
他因打断了我们的谈话而向我们道歉。
Thank you for offering me so much help.
感谢你们给我提供了这么多的帮助。
He is fond of watching sports-games.
他喜欢观看体育竞赛。
She likes making herself busy all the day.
她喜欢使自己终日忙忙碌碌的。
(3) 介词后面接动名词时，动名词短语也可以用完成时态或被动语态。例如：
The secretary was scolded for not having finished typing the report in time.
那位秘书因没有按时将报告打印出来而受责备。(动名词的完成时态)
I regret having said some rude words to my brother.
我后悔对我弟弟说了些粗话。
We have no idea of their having done such kind of thing.
我们不知道他们干过这种事情。
After having been treated in the special way, he could deal with everything around him smoothly .
他接受了特殊化的训练后，能顺利地对付他周围的一切。
He can't remember having been scolded by his boss for that matter.
他不记得老板曾为那件事责备过他。
People hate being praised for nothing .
人们不喜欢无缘无故的赞扬。(动名词的被动语态)
The problem is far from being solved .
这问题远没得到解决。
She didn't mind being left alone at home .
她不介意被一人留在家里。
(4) 下列动词后的动名词虽然是被动意义，但不用被动语态：
Your car needs filling. 你这车要充气了。
This city deserves visiting. 这座城市值得光顾一下。
The problem requires studying carefully .这个问题需要认真研究。
The trees want watering .这些树需要浇水了。
