Question

Finding the right travel companion is crucial to an enjoyable trip.

Identify the type of verbal phrase that has been underlined and its function in the sentence.

participial; adjective
gerund; subject
infinitive; adverb
gerund; object

Answer 1

So the type of verbal phrase that has been underlined is gerund and it functions as a subject.

Answer 2

The type of verbal phrase that has been underlined is a "gerund" and its function is to be the subject of the sentence.

Step-by-step explanation:

Gerunds are words that are formed with verbs but act as nouns. As they are formed with the suffix -ing, they are very similar to participles. Therefore, it is important to tell the difference between them. The fact is that present participles act as modifiers or complete progressive verbs, they do not act as nouns. In this case, the gerund "finding the right travel companion" acts as the subject of the sentence.