Learning the usage of present participle

Question

I'd appreciate it if anybody helped me to learn the following topic.

• In this case, will speaks to actually getting some writing done, whereas would implies thinking about it without actually starting.

This sentence has been recited from this link

I easily understand the meaning of this sentence. But I want to learn the usage of present participles indicated in bold words. Please instruct me the rules how they have been used in this sentence, so that I will be able to use present participles in the same way they have been used in the above stated sentence.

Answer 1

The -ing form of the verb has three broad uses:

• As a component of the progressive construction following a form of the verb BE. This typically expresses imperfective or progressive aspect (action which occurs continuously or repeatedly), or to ‘recategorize’ a stative verb as a temporary activity:

  We are building a house in Chesterfield.
  When I saw him he was running to catch the bus.
  I’m feeling pretty good about the current state of the project.
  George is being a jerk.

• As an adjective to express performance of an action at reference time; in this use it is traditionally called a present participle^†:

  The running child tripped and fell.

  When the participle takes verbal arguments such as objects or complements, or is modified by a following adverbial, the participle phrase is placed after the noun it modifies:

  The child running across the playground tripped and fell.

• As a noun expressing the action, fact or state of the verb; in this use it is traditionally called a gerund.^†:

  I enjoy playing golf, but swimming is my favorite pastime.
  You will succeed by working hard.

  The uses you offer are all such gerunds:

  to actually getting some writing done ... The gerund acts like a noun as object of the preposition to, and like a verb in supporting the adverb modifier actually and in taking the Direct Object, writing.

  getting some writing done ... The gerund exhibits no verbal properties, and acts like a noun in taking a determiner, some, and in taking an adjectival past participle, done, as a modifier.

  would implies thinking about it ... The gerund acts like a noun in acting as the Direct Object of the verb implies and like a verb in taking the complement preposition phrase about it.

  without actually starting ... The gerund acts like a noun as object of the preposition without and like a verb in supporting the adverb modifier actually.

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^† The traditional terminology is controversial—is the -ing form one form or two? Historically, it’s two different forms which have collapsed into one; the Cambridge Grammar of the English Language calls it a gerund-participle. And there’s a good deal of heat around whether the -ing form ever actually operates as a noun or should not rather be regarded as a verb heading a clause which acts as a noun; see for instance the Answers and Comments here on ELU.