Question about Gerund and Noun

[Minh28]

I also have the question related to Gerund and Noun. my question is " Prices include breakfast and ..................of the pool and exercise room."
Answers are A.use B.uses C.user D.using. I chose D but the correct answer is A. I also know "use" is both noun and Verb but why can't we choose "using" in this case?
Can you help me explain?

[Dozy]

"(the) using of the <noun>" is often rather awkward and unnatural (albeit not always impossible), perhaps simply because the noun "use" is available. Also, in your sentence "use of" means "ability/permission/facility to use", which is not a meaning that "using of" can really have. Finally, even if "using" was acceptable here (which it isn't), it would probably have to be "the using of ..."

"the pool of exercise room" is not right. I'm not sure what was intended, whether "use of the pool in the exercise room", or "use of the pool or exercise room", or something else.

[Torsten]

[Bazza]

The 'rule' is, that when we are talking generally about situations and events, use the infinitive form.
Gerunds usually sound more like normal, spoken English, and so gerunds are used when we are speaking about a specific instance.


Your sentence, "Prices include breakfast and..." is stating the pricing policy of the hotel i.e. a general statement.

The best I can come up with for 'using' as a gerund:
I am not used to (the) using (of) bad language, but (expletive) the Town Council! If they think they can ride roughshod over me...***
Here, this is a specific situation.

***[b]ride roughshod over: carry out one's own plans or wishes with arrogant disregard for others or their wishes.[/b]

(Why has the second half gone BOLD?)

[Dozy]