Why in the following sentence is the word "slow" a gerund?

Question

Could you tell me please why in the follow sentence the word slow is gerund?

Construction on the Factoria interchange has caused slowing on I-405, so use caution there.

thanks

............. has caused the slowing (down) of traffic on - could be used. Notice the "the" before the "slowing" this means that what follows is a noun - in this case a gerund. - ian-hill, Mar 28, 2011

Hi ian-hill, I´m developed a review test and in my original question don't say ...the slowing. Say: ... has caused... without the - maylegoas, Mar 28, 2011

Answer 1

Porque los "gerunds" ingleses no tienen nada que ver con los gerundios españoles. Sus "gerunds" funcionan como sustantivos; indican el nombre de una acción, como nuestros infinitivos, pero con más flexibilidad aún. En este caso, en español no podríamos usar el infinitivo para decir "ha causado disminuir", sino que tendríamos que usar el sustantivo "una disminución". En inglés también podrían haber usado un sustantivo, como "decrease", "drop", "reduction",... pero tienen una opción más de la cual nosotros carecemos: el "gerund".

We also often use noun phrases "...have caused traffic to slow [down] on I-405. - 0074b507, Mar 28, 2011

Entonces, en este caso el sustantivo está después del verbo? - maylegoas, Mar 28, 2011

thanks gfreed. but I used this sentence with the verb to slow and they told me that was wrong - maylegoas, Mar 28, 2011

Use of the infinitive "to slow" would be correct if a noun is supplied, e.g., "traffic to slow (down)" - Lector_Constante, Mar 28, 2011

You can tell them we said it's right! Ha! - Leatha, Mar 28, 2011

thankfull to all - maylegoas, Mar 28, 2011

Answer 2

Construction on the Factoria interchange has caused slowing on I-405, so use caution there.

"Construction on the Factoria interchange has caused ..." In order to be grammatically acceptable in English this must be followed by a noun or some equivalent. "slowing" (a gerund [a verbal form used as a noun]) is one possibility. "traffic to slow down" a(a noun phrase" is another possibility."delays" (a simple noun) is yet another possibility. There is absolutely no requirement that a gerund follow, only that what follows serve as a noun.

Answer 3

"Slowing" is used because Caltrans hates to say "huge traffic jam", although that is what they really meant.

Oh so true Lorenzo, I lived there 25 years - pacofinkler, Mar 28, 2011

Is there some rule about tell me why slowing (gerund) is in that sentence? - maylegoas, Mar 28, 2011

You have to use something that functions as a noun, in this case either the gerund slowing or a noun phrase using the verb slow. Slowing is the shortest choice. It's not the most common choice in everyday speech, but is the usual word in traffic reports. - lorenzo9, Mar 28, 2011

Ok lorenzo9 thanks - maylegoas, Mar 28, 2011

I have only been a couple of big non-USA cities, namely Mexico City and Saigon. In both places it appeared that the first person with the most guts or the biggest vehicle had the right away. - Ron_Austin, Mar 28, 2011

I have seen a few cities where traffic signals are completely ignored (eg. Tehran in the early 70's), but ignoring lanes and crosswalks, and refusing to yield at intersections is quite common here. - lorenzo9, Mar 29, 2011

Answer 4

I would have used "slowing of traffic" or better yet, "slow down" as gfreed said.

I agree, Ron. "slow down" fits better and will be more easily understood by drivers. - 0066c384, Mar 28, 2011