Perfect Gerund: Grammar Guide for English Learners

The perfect gerund is a useful advanced grammar structure in English, especially for academic and professional writing. In this guide, you'll learn how to form and use the perfect gerund, how it differs from other verb forms, and how to apply it effectively in IELTS tasks.

I. What Is a Perfect Gerund?

A perfect gerund is a type of gerund that expresses an action completed in the past—relative to another action—within a sentence. It combines the grammatical function of a gerund (v-ing as a noun) with the perfect aspect, emphasizing that something happened earlier.

Structure: Perfect gerund = having + past participle (V3)

You use a perfect gerund when:

• You want to emphasize the sequence of actions, showing that one action happened before another.
• You are writing or speaking in a formal, academic, or professional context, especially when accuracy and subtle time relationships matter.
• You want to avoid ambiguity that may occur with a simple gerund (v-ing) when discussing past events.

Compare:

• I regret saying that.
  → May refer to something just said (present/past – not clear)

• I regret having said that.
  → Clearly refers to something that happened earlier and is now being regretted

In academic writing, especially in IELTS Writing Task 2, using a perfect gerund can show a higher level of grammatical control and improve your lexical and grammatical range—key criteria for achieving Band 7+.

II. Perfect Gerund vs Other Forms

The perfect gerund shares similarities with several advanced grammar structures, but each form has a specific function and usage. 

Perfect Gerund vs Basic Gerund

Note: In many informal cases, both are accepted. However, in formal or exam contexts, especially when clarity about time order matters, the perfect gerund is preferred.

Perfect Gerund vs Perfect Participle

Tip: If the phrase replaces a noun, it’s a gerund. If it modifies a clause, it's a participle.

Perfect Gerund vs Perfect Infinitive

Mastering these differences helps you use high-level grammar meaningfully and accurately—a key factor in earning higher grammar scores on the IELTS Writing and Speaking sections.

III. How to Use a Perfect Gerund Correctly

Using a perfect gerund accurately shows grammatical awareness and helps express the sequence of actions more precisely—especially in formal writing or exam contexts like IELTS Writing Task 2. Below are the most common ways to use perfect gerunds properly, including advanced forms such as passive constructions.

1. Common patterns and verbs followed by perfect gerunds

Perfect gerunds often appear after verbs and prepositions that are normally followed by a gerund (V-ing), especially when the action referred to is completed or occurred before the time of the main clause.

Structure: having + past participle (V3)

Common verbs followed by perfect gerund:

• regret
• deny
• admit
• apologize for
• thank someone for
• forgive someone for
• remember
• report
• accuse someone of
• criticize someone for

Example sentences:

• She admitted having lied during the interview.
• He apologized for having missed the deadline.
• The patient denied having received the medication.

These patterns are especially useful in causal and explanatory contexts, or when writing formal complaints, apologies, or analysis.

2. Passive form of perfect gerunds

In more advanced sentences or formal reporting, you may need the passive voice of a perfect gerund.

Structure: having been + past participle

Example:

• She denied having been informed of the change.
• The manager admitted having been misled by initial data.

The passive perfect gerund is used when the subject was acted upon, rather than performing the action themselves.

This form is common in business English, academic writing, and professional communication, and is considered Band 7+ grammar in IELTS due to its complexity and precision.

3. Typical contexts in academic or professional use

Perfect gerunds are particularly useful when you want to:

• Emphasize the completion of an action
• Express cause and effect, reasoning, or justification
• Use formal or structured responses in written communication
• Report past incidents in an indirect and objective tone

Academic examples:

• By having submitted the proposal on time, the student showed responsibility.
• The company was fined after having violated safety regulations.

In IELTS Writing, perfect gerunds can elevate your writing by:

• Providing grammatical variety
• Clarifying sequence
• Improving formal tone and objectivity

Mastering these forms ensures that your writing and speaking are not only correct but also impactful.

IV. Perfect Gerund and IELTS Grammar Criteria

In Speaking Part 3, perfect gerunds show fluency when discussing personal experiences, hypothetical outcomes, or reflecting on past decisions.

• Example question: Do you think people should always follow medical advice?
• Possible response: I regret having ignored my doctor’s instructions last year; it taught me to be more responsible.

In Part 2 (“describe a time when…”), perfect gerunds can help narrate personal stories with time accuracy.

Extra structure examples:

• I remember having visited the museum when I was a child.
• After having failed my first driving test, I practiced more seriously.

ELTS Band Descriptor Highlights (Band 7+):

• Grammatical Range: Includes complex structures, such as perfect aspect and passive forms
• Accuracy: Producing error-free sentences or controlling advanced forms with few mistakes
• Cohesion: Structures like perfect gerunds create concise and logical sentence links

By integrating just a few well-placed perfect gerunds into your writing or speaking, you can impress examiners and move closer to your target Band 7+ score.

V. Exercises and Practice with Perfect Gerunds

To truly apply and retain knowledge of perfect gerunds, you should spend more time practicing exercises. Below are some exercises compiled by PREP - try them out!

Exercise 1: Fill in the appropriate perfect gerund form in the following sentences:

1. After __________ (have) a party, they decided to go club.
2.  __________ (admit) to this school was his wish.
3. John insisted on __________ (see) this video before.
4. She thanked me for __________ (help) her with her important task.

Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer:

1. __________ up late is harmful for our health.

A. Staying

B. To stay

C. Stayed

D. Hofat stayed

2. When John called me, I didn’t answer. I pretended __________ already.

A. to sleep

B. sleeping

C. having slept

D. to have been sleeping

3. She doesn't recall __________ about it.

A. having told

B. having been told

C. to have told

D. to have been told

4. James mentioned __________ in a serious accident as a child. 

A. having injured

B. having been injured

C. to have injured

D. to have been injured

Answer

Exercise 1:

1. Having had
2. Having been admitted
3. Having seen
4. Having helped

Exercise 2:

VI. Take the First Step Towards IELTS Success 

This article has compiled the key concepts about perfect gerunds that you need to fully understand. If your goal is to achieve a Band 7 or higher, these IELTS resources are for you :

• IELTS course: Master IELTS With Us!