ABSTRACT
The inflection o f the gerund is dealt w i th at 16.5.2. The simple gerund itself is 'tenseless'; the tense reference it conveys is always determined by the ma in verb w h i c h it accompanies, and wi th whose action it is simultaneous. A s a verbal modifier, however, a gerund does have an aspectual connota t ion deriving f rom the simultaneity just ment ioned, which can be considered either durative o r progressive:
The aspectual element, nevertheless, is determined not by the gerund alone but by the verbs o n which it depends in this k i n d o f periphrasis (see 18.1.1 and 18.1.2). The c o m p o u n d gerund o f any verb is obta ined by adding the (past) part iciple to the gerund o f haver: havent dinat 'having lunched ' , havent pres having taken' , havent dormit having slept', havent sabut having known ' , etc.These forms express anteriority, that is, denote a time that precedes that o f the ma in verb. There are some examples o f the use o f the compound gerund i n 22.2.4.1.
