Let's break each statement down to identify if they describe a gerund:
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The word names what does the action of the sentence.
- Not a Gerund: This describes the subject or agent of the action, typically a noun or a pronoun.
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The word tells the main action of the sentence.
- Not a Gerund: This refers to the verb of the sentence, which does not classify as a gerund.
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The word functions as a verb.
- Not a Gerund: Gerunds function as nouns, even though they are derived from verbs. Hence, something functioning as a verb cannot be a gerund.
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The word names what receives the action of the sentence.
- Not a Gerund: This describes the object of the verb, typically a noun, not a gerund.
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The word functions as a noun.
- Gerund: If a word functions as a noun and is derived from a verb (ending in -ing), it qualifies as a gerund.
In summary, only the last statement pertains to a gerund, while the others do not.