Why is a building called a building?
Em and Emma are having ice cream sitting on a bench. There is a construction site in the background.
Em: Emma, have you noticed how fast these builders are working? Till last month there was no building and look at this huge structure now.
Emma: Yes, and soon there will be people living in this building.
Em: Come to think of it, if a building is already built then why it is still called a building? The construction is stopped or are there invisible gnomes still building floors?
Reason: Firstly, there are no gnomes in the city. Now, it is called a building because the ‘ing’ in the English language is added to certain verbs to make them nouns. The verb ‘built’ is suffixed with ‘ing’ to make the thing a noun- Building.
Em: So Building is a noun and when it is being built it is a verb?
Reason: The act is of building it when the actual work is in progress. Building is a gerund- a noun made from a verb. Any action verb can be made a gerund. Example: Singing is my hobby or Nursing is a good career.
Em: So it is called a building to denote the process of building it?
Emma: You got that bang on Em! You are a smart boy. Here, you get sprinklers on your ice cream for that!
Em: Don’t be a smarty pant Emma.
Reason: Ok, I’ll take the sprinklers.
Em and Emma: NO!
@Jethro Limpin This is “ing” words in the English language is added to certain verbs.
what other words use ‘ing’ to make nouns?