"They talked about going on a vacation". Here 'going' is a/an— (49th Special BCS)

Identifying gerunds is a frequently tested grammar topic in BCS examinations. Definition of Gerund: A gerund is a verb form ending in "-ing" that functions as a noun in a sentence. Analysis of the sentence: "They talked about going on a vacation" — "about" is a preposition — After a preposition, we use a verb in its "-ing" form — "going" here acts as the object of the preposition "about" — Since it functions as a noun (object), it is a GERUND Key Rule: Preposition + Verb-ing → Gerund Distinguishing from other forms: ✗ Participle: Modifies a noun/pronoun (e.g., "The going train") ✗ Infinitive: "to + verb" form (e.g., "to go") ✗ Verbal noun: Usually takes an article or possessive (e.g., "The going of the train was delayed") More examples of Gerunds after prepositions: — "She is good at singing" — "He is interested in learning" — "Thank you for coming" Source: A Practical English Grammar — A.J. Thomson & A.V. Martinet; English Grammar in Use — Raymond Murphy.