saying it was the only thing she knew how to cook, and she rarely made it well












4
















Narrator: Her husband Carl always teased her about her macaroni and
cheese, saying it was the only thing she knew how to cook, and she
rarely made it well.




TV Series: Desperate Housewives



I don't know why the narrator used the -ing form of the verb "saying".
How it would be like if the narrator didn't want to use the -ing form of the verb?






gerunds







share|improve this question





























    4
















    Narrator: Her husband Carl always teased her about her macaroni and
    cheese, saying it was the only thing she knew how to cook, and she
    rarely made it well.




    TV Series: Desperate Housewives



    I don't know why the narrator used the -ing form of the verb "saying".
    How it would be like if the narrator didn't want to use the -ing form of the verb?






    gerunds







    share|improve this question



























      4












      4








      4









      Narrator: Her husband Carl always teased her about her macaroni and
      cheese, saying it was the only thing she knew how to cook, and she
      rarely made it well.




      TV Series: Desperate Housewives



      I don't know why the narrator used the -ing form of the verb "saying".
      How it would be like if the narrator didn't want to use the -ing form of the verb?






      gerunds







      share|improve this question

















      Narrator: Her husband Carl always teased her about her macaroni and
      cheese, saying it was the only thing she knew how to cook, and she
      rarely made it well.




      TV Series: Desperate Housewives



      I don't know why the narrator used the -ing form of the verb "saying".
      How it would be like if the narrator didn't want to use the -ing form of the verb?






      gerunds




      gerunds






      share|improve this question















      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited 13 hours ago









      ColleenV♦

      10.4k53259




      10.4k53259










      asked 14 hours ago









      samsamsamsam

      1236




      1236






















          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

          votes


















          5














          That non-finite form saying expresses the idea that over the course of their relationship ("Carl always teased her") he would say those words, that mac-and-cheese was the only thing she knew how to cook: those are words he said when teasing her.



          If you wanted to use a tensed form of the verb to say to express the same idea, you would have to say something like whenever or often in combination with the verb:




          He always teased her about her cooking and often said it was the only thing she knew how to cook.




          or whenever




          He always teased her about her cooking and whenever he did so he said it was the only thing she knew how to cook.




          or always




          He always teased her about her cooking and he always said it was the only thing she knew now to cook.







          share|improve this answer





















          • 1





            In this case, it could be that the non-finite saying matches the always, but a single instance of teasing could have been described with the non-finite verb, too. E.g. One time, her husband teased her, saying that dinner tasted more like wackaroni and sleeze.

            – Juhasz
            14 hours ago











          • Agreed. when teasing her would cover both cases. The action of the non-finite clause attends the action of the main clause.

            – Tᴚoɯɐuo
            13 hours ago











          • Thank you so much for your reply. He always teased her about her cooking and whenever he or she?(it is confusing) did so he said it was the only thing she knew how to cook.

            – samsam
            13 hours ago











          • Carl is her husband, so Carl is the "he" referred to.

            – Tᴚoɯɐuo
            13 hours ago











          • @samsam FWIW, one could use "she" there, making the statement "He always teased her about her cooking and whenever she did so he said [whatever]". In that case, it would mean that whenever she cooked, he said [whatever], as opposed to Tᴚoɯɐuo's version which means that whenever he teased her about her cooking, he said [whatever].

            – A C
            10 hours ago





















          3














          A very useful pattern in English for/in writing.




          • They loved the outdoors, describing it as a healing experience.


          A gerund can be used after a statement to qualify it.



          The gerund phrase can be used as a substitute for "and". It can be more elegant than:



          They loved the outdoors and described it as a healing experience.




          • The journalists spent all day at the conference, reading press releases and drinking tea. [versus: and read press release and drank tea]


          • The lady disliked cats, complaining that they scratched her furniture. [versus: and complained they scratched her furniture.]







          share|improve this answer























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            2 Answers
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            2 Answers
            2






            active

            oldest

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            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

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            5














            That non-finite form saying expresses the idea that over the course of their relationship ("Carl always teased her") he would say those words, that mac-and-cheese was the only thing she knew how to cook: those are words he said when teasing her.



            If you wanted to use a tensed form of the verb to say to express the same idea, you would have to say something like whenever or often in combination with the verb:




            He always teased her about her cooking and often said it was the only thing she knew how to cook.




            or whenever




            He always teased her about her cooking and whenever he did so he said it was the only thing she knew how to cook.




            or always




            He always teased her about her cooking and he always said it was the only thing she knew now to cook.







            share|improve this answer





















            • 1





              In this case, it could be that the non-finite saying matches the always, but a single instance of teasing could have been described with the non-finite verb, too. E.g. One time, her husband teased her, saying that dinner tasted more like wackaroni and sleeze.

              – Juhasz
              14 hours ago











            • Agreed. when teasing her would cover both cases. The action of the non-finite clause attends the action of the main clause.

              – Tᴚoɯɐuo
              13 hours ago











            • Thank you so much for your reply. He always teased her about her cooking and whenever he or she?(it is confusing) did so he said it was the only thing she knew how to cook.

              – samsam
              13 hours ago











            • Carl is her husband, so Carl is the "he" referred to.

              – Tᴚoɯɐuo
              13 hours ago











            • @samsam FWIW, one could use "she" there, making the statement "He always teased her about her cooking and whenever she did so he said [whatever]". In that case, it would mean that whenever she cooked, he said [whatever], as opposed to Tᴚoɯɐuo's version which means that whenever he teased her about her cooking, he said [whatever].

              – A C
              10 hours ago


















            5














            That non-finite form saying expresses the idea that over the course of their relationship ("Carl always teased her") he would say those words, that mac-and-cheese was the only thing she knew how to cook: those are words he said when teasing her.



            If you wanted to use a tensed form of the verb to say to express the same idea, you would have to say something like whenever or often in combination with the verb:




            He always teased her about her cooking and often said it was the only thing she knew how to cook.




            or whenever




            He always teased her about her cooking and whenever he did so he said it was the only thing she knew how to cook.




            or always




            He always teased her about her cooking and he always said it was the only thing she knew now to cook.







            share|improve this answer





















            • 1





              In this case, it could be that the non-finite saying matches the always, but a single instance of teasing could have been described with the non-finite verb, too. E.g. One time, her husband teased her, saying that dinner tasted more like wackaroni and sleeze.

              – Juhasz
              14 hours ago











            • Agreed. when teasing her would cover both cases. The action of the non-finite clause attends the action of the main clause.

              – Tᴚoɯɐuo
              13 hours ago











            • Thank you so much for your reply. He always teased her about her cooking and whenever he or she?(it is confusing) did so he said it was the only thing she knew how to cook.

              – samsam
              13 hours ago











            • Carl is her husband, so Carl is the "he" referred to.

              – Tᴚoɯɐuo
              13 hours ago











            • @samsam FWIW, one could use "she" there, making the statement "He always teased her about her cooking and whenever she did so he said [whatever]". In that case, it would mean that whenever she cooked, he said [whatever], as opposed to Tᴚoɯɐuo's version which means that whenever he teased her about her cooking, he said [whatever].

              – A C
              10 hours ago
















            5












            5








            5







            That non-finite form saying expresses the idea that over the course of their relationship ("Carl always teased her") he would say those words, that mac-and-cheese was the only thing she knew how to cook: those are words he said when teasing her.



            If you wanted to use a tensed form of the verb to say to express the same idea, you would have to say something like whenever or often in combination with the verb:




            He always teased her about her cooking and often said it was the only thing she knew how to cook.




            or whenever




            He always teased her about her cooking and whenever he did so he said it was the only thing she knew how to cook.




            or always




            He always teased her about her cooking and he always said it was the only thing she knew now to cook.







            share|improve this answer















            That non-finite form saying expresses the idea that over the course of their relationship ("Carl always teased her") he would say those words, that mac-and-cheese was the only thing she knew how to cook: those are words he said when teasing her.



            If you wanted to use a tensed form of the verb to say to express the same idea, you would have to say something like whenever or often in combination with the verb:




            He always teased her about her cooking and often said it was the only thing she knew how to cook.




            or whenever




            He always teased her about her cooking and whenever he did so he said it was the only thing she knew how to cook.




            or always




            He always teased her about her cooking and he always said it was the only thing she knew now to cook.








            share|improve this answer














            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer








            edited 14 hours ago

























            answered 14 hours ago









            TᴚoɯɐuoTᴚoɯɐuo

            110k684179




            110k684179








            • 1





              In this case, it could be that the non-finite saying matches the always, but a single instance of teasing could have been described with the non-finite verb, too. E.g. One time, her husband teased her, saying that dinner tasted more like wackaroni and sleeze.

              – Juhasz
              14 hours ago











            • Agreed. when teasing her would cover both cases. The action of the non-finite clause attends the action of the main clause.

              – Tᴚoɯɐuo
              13 hours ago











            • Thank you so much for your reply. He always teased her about her cooking and whenever he or she?(it is confusing) did so he said it was the only thing she knew how to cook.

              – samsam
              13 hours ago











            • Carl is her husband, so Carl is the "he" referred to.

              – Tᴚoɯɐuo
              13 hours ago











            • @samsam FWIW, one could use "she" there, making the statement "He always teased her about her cooking and whenever she did so he said [whatever]". In that case, it would mean that whenever she cooked, he said [whatever], as opposed to Tᴚoɯɐuo's version which means that whenever he teased her about her cooking, he said [whatever].

              – A C
              10 hours ago
















            • 1





              In this case, it could be that the non-finite saying matches the always, but a single instance of teasing could have been described with the non-finite verb, too. E.g. One time, her husband teased her, saying that dinner tasted more like wackaroni and sleeze.

              – Juhasz
              14 hours ago











            • Agreed. when teasing her would cover both cases. The action of the non-finite clause attends the action of the main clause.

              – Tᴚoɯɐuo
              13 hours ago











            • Thank you so much for your reply. He always teased her about her cooking and whenever he or she?(it is confusing) did so he said it was the only thing she knew how to cook.

              – samsam
              13 hours ago











            • Carl is her husband, so Carl is the "he" referred to.

              – Tᴚoɯɐuo
              13 hours ago











            • @samsam FWIW, one could use "she" there, making the statement "He always teased her about her cooking and whenever she did so he said [whatever]". In that case, it would mean that whenever she cooked, he said [whatever], as opposed to Tᴚoɯɐuo's version which means that whenever he teased her about her cooking, he said [whatever].

              – A C
              10 hours ago










            1




            1





            In this case, it could be that the non-finite saying matches the always, but a single instance of teasing could have been described with the non-finite verb, too. E.g. One time, her husband teased her, saying that dinner tasted more like wackaroni and sleeze.

            – Juhasz
            14 hours ago





            In this case, it could be that the non-finite saying matches the always, but a single instance of teasing could have been described with the non-finite verb, too. E.g. One time, her husband teased her, saying that dinner tasted more like wackaroni and sleeze.

            – Juhasz
            14 hours ago













            Agreed. when teasing her would cover both cases. The action of the non-finite clause attends the action of the main clause.

            – Tᴚoɯɐuo
            13 hours ago





            Agreed. when teasing her would cover both cases. The action of the non-finite clause attends the action of the main clause.

            – Tᴚoɯɐuo
            13 hours ago













            Thank you so much for your reply. He always teased her about her cooking and whenever he or she?(it is confusing) did so he said it was the only thing she knew how to cook.

            – samsam
            13 hours ago





            Thank you so much for your reply. He always teased her about her cooking and whenever he or she?(it is confusing) did so he said it was the only thing she knew how to cook.

            – samsam
            13 hours ago













            Carl is her husband, so Carl is the "he" referred to.

            – Tᴚoɯɐuo
            13 hours ago





            Carl is her husband, so Carl is the "he" referred to.

            – Tᴚoɯɐuo
            13 hours ago













            @samsam FWIW, one could use "she" there, making the statement "He always teased her about her cooking and whenever she did so he said [whatever]". In that case, it would mean that whenever she cooked, he said [whatever], as opposed to Tᴚoɯɐuo's version which means that whenever he teased her about her cooking, he said [whatever].

            – A C
            10 hours ago







            @samsam FWIW, one could use "she" there, making the statement "He always teased her about her cooking and whenever she did so he said [whatever]". In that case, it would mean that whenever she cooked, he said [whatever], as opposed to Tᴚoɯɐuo's version which means that whenever he teased her about her cooking, he said [whatever].

            – A C
            10 hours ago















            3














            A very useful pattern in English for/in writing.




            • They loved the outdoors, describing it as a healing experience.


            A gerund can be used after a statement to qualify it.



            The gerund phrase can be used as a substitute for "and". It can be more elegant than:



            They loved the outdoors and described it as a healing experience.




            • The journalists spent all day at the conference, reading press releases and drinking tea. [versus: and read press release and drank tea]


            • The lady disliked cats, complaining that they scratched her furniture. [versus: and complained they scratched her furniture.]







            share|improve this answer




























              3














              A very useful pattern in English for/in writing.




              • They loved the outdoors, describing it as a healing experience.


              A gerund can be used after a statement to qualify it.



              The gerund phrase can be used as a substitute for "and". It can be more elegant than:



              They loved the outdoors and described it as a healing experience.




              • The journalists spent all day at the conference, reading press releases and drinking tea. [versus: and read press release and drank tea]


              • The lady disliked cats, complaining that they scratched her furniture. [versus: and complained they scratched her furniture.]







              share|improve this answer


























                3












                3








                3







                A very useful pattern in English for/in writing.




                • They loved the outdoors, describing it as a healing experience.


                A gerund can be used after a statement to qualify it.



                The gerund phrase can be used as a substitute for "and". It can be more elegant than:



                They loved the outdoors and described it as a healing experience.




                • The journalists spent all day at the conference, reading press releases and drinking tea. [versus: and read press release and drank tea]


                • The lady disliked cats, complaining that they scratched her furniture. [versus: and complained they scratched her furniture.]







                share|improve this answer













                A very useful pattern in English for/in writing.




                • They loved the outdoors, describing it as a healing experience.


                A gerund can be used after a statement to qualify it.



                The gerund phrase can be used as a substitute for "and". It can be more elegant than:



                They loved the outdoors and described it as a healing experience.




                • The journalists spent all day at the conference, reading press releases and drinking tea. [versus: and read press release and drank tea]


                • The lady disliked cats, complaining that they scratched her furniture. [versus: and complained they scratched her furniture.]








                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered 12 hours ago









                LambieLambie

                14.9k1331




                14.9k1331






























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