本书是以原始文献实例分析考察为基础，经过多年的潜心研究，对英语史中的动名词和现在分词现象展开深入细致的考证，并特别将关注点聚焦在英语语言发展史中的中近代五百年间的名词性动名词(Nominal Gerund)曾经与现在分词的各种表现经常混用，且其尤为频繁地出现于现在分词进行时的句法位置这一特殊的历史语言现象上。本研究通过转换生成语法的理论体系尝试对名词性动名词缘何出现在现在分词的句法位置以及其最终又于此消失的原因及过程展开探讨的同时，特别又对至目前在各类相关先行研究中最为权威的Jespersen(1931：168-169)的“合并论”提出了质疑和补充。

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

 1.1 A Puzzle

 1.2 The Organization of This Book

CHAPTER 2 AN ANALYSIS OF THE OCCURRENCE OF THE MIXED PROGRESSIVE

 2.1 Broader Picture: Gerund and Progressive Form in History

 2.2 Solution to the Appearance of the Mixed Progressive

 2.3 Reason for the Appearance of the BNG in the Mixed Progressive

 2.4 Summary

CHAPTER 3 AN ANALYSIS OF THE DECLINE OF THE MIXED PROGRESSIVE

 3.1 Further Reflection upon Jespersen's "Amalgamation" Hypothesis

 3.2 Parallelism between Verbal Gerund and PE Progressive Form

 3.3 Disappearance of the Mixed Progressive

 3.4 Summary

CHAPTER 4 AN ANALYSIS OF OTHER NOMINAL GERUND / PRESENT PARTICIPLE CONSTRUCTIONS

 4.1 Nominal Gerund in Participle Construction

 4.2 Nominal Gerund in Manner Participle Construction

 4.3 Nominal Gerund Following Perception Verbs

 4.4 Summary

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS AND FURTHER PERSPECTIVES

NOTES

REFERENCES

APPENDIX