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Basics. Gerunds After It's No Use and There's No Point In: correct answers

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Gerunds After It's No Use and There's No Point In

When you want to express that an action will not have a successful or useful result, English relies on two common phrases: "it's no use" and "there's no point in." The tricky part for many learners is remembering that both expressions must be followed by a gerund (-ing form), not an infinitive. For example, you should say "It's no use worrying" (not to worry) and "There's no point in arguing" (not to argue).

In this hard-level challenge, you will identify the correct gerund forms, avoid common infinitive traps, and maintain the correct prepositional structures. You'll apply these rules across a variety of entertaining scenarios, from helping a frustrated spaceship mechanic and advising survivors on how to deal with zombies, to completing reports about cursed office printers and one-sided dragon sieges.

You'll work through 11 questions presented in a mix of single-choice, multi-choice, drop-down, and drag-and-drop formats.

Try the quiz to check your knowledge!

HardB2 | Upper IntermediateB2GerundNegationPast tensePhrasePrepositionSubjectVerbVerb tenseCollocationsIdiom

Correct answers

Question 1

Professor Higgins just realized his newly invented time machine only travels into the future, not the past! Select ALL the grammatically correct thoughts he might have right now.

The correct answers are: It's no use trying to warn Abraham Lincoln anymore. There's no point in bringing this map of the Roman Empire. There's no point packing a saddle for a dinosaur.

After "it's no use" and "there's no point," you must use a gerund (verb + -ing).

"There's no point packing" is correct because the preposition "in" can be dropped in everyday English without changing the meaning or grammatical validity of the gerund that follows it.

Question 2

Complete the dialogue between two hopelessly lost, but highly entertaining, hikers. Choose the correct words to fill the blanks.
"It's no use _________________________ mad at me for dropping the compass into the river," Sarah huffed, crossing her arms defensively.
"Well, there's no point _________________________ we know where we are," Mark replied, staring at a map he was holding upside down.

being

Remember the golden rule: "It is no use" is followed directly by a gerund ("being"). It does not take a preposition like "in" or an infinitive like "to be".

in pretending

Conversely, "There is no point" requires the preposition "in" before the gerund ("in pretending").

Question 3

Complete the frustrated spaceship mechanic's log entry.

The core reactor is completely fried. It's no use _______ to patch a level-five breach with galactic duct tape; we need a brand-new engine.

The correct answer is trying.

The expression "it's no use" is always followed directly by a gerund (the -ing form of a verb). We do not use the infinitive ("to try") or add prepositions like "in" after "use."

Question 4

Help the IT technician write a warning note to his colleagues about the cursed office printer. Choose the correct words to complete the sentences.

Honestly, it's no use yelling at the machine because it feeds on your frustration. Furthermore, there's no point in kicking the printer since it is made of solid titanium.

Honestly, it's no use yelling at the machine because it feeds on your frustration.

The fixed expression is "it is no use" followed by a gerund (verb + -ing). We use the dummy subject "it" here, not "that" or "he".

Furthermore, there's no point in kicking the printer since it is made of solid titanium.

The fixed expression is "there is no point in" followed by a gerund. We use the dummy subject "there" and the preposition "in".

Question 5

Help the fantasy author complete this dramatic scene about a rather one-sided dragon attack. Select the best phrase for each gap.
"It's no use _________________________ the heavy iron gates if the dragon can simply fly right over them," the knight sighed.
"And there's absolutely no point _________________________ with a giant reptile that views our army as a mid-afternoon snack!" the wizard replied.

having locked

"It's no use" takes a gerund directly. Here, the perfect gerund "having locked" is used to emphasize that the useless action was already completed in the past.

in negotiating

"There's no point" must be followed by "in" + gerund. Using "to negotiate" or "for negotiating" is grammatically invalid.

Question 6

Complete the survival guide's advice on dealing with the undead. Choose ALL the options that correctly complete the warning.
When the zombie horde approaches, remember that...

The correct answers are: ...it's no use offering them a vegetarian alternative. ...there's no point in debating philosophy with them.

The expressions "it is no use" and "there is no point (in)" are always followed by the gerund form (offering, debating).

Using the infinitive (to explain, to suggest) with these specific phrases is grammatically incorrect.

Question 7

Help the lost hiker finish his sarcastic journal entry about his friend's navigation skills. Choose the correct words to complete the sentences.

By the time the storm hit, I realized it was no use looking for the trail on a map that Bob was holding upside down. I also told him that there was no point in arguing about whose fault it was.

By the time the storm hit, I realized it was no use looking for the trail on a map that Bob was holding upside down.

Since the story is in the past tense ("the storm hit", "I realized"), we need the past tense "was". The expression "it was no use" requires a gerund ("looking").

I also told him that there was no point in arguing about whose fault it was.

The expression "there's no point" is followed by the preposition "in" and a gerund ("arguing").

Question 8

Help the exhausted detective summarize a dead-end case to her partner.

The suspect has a rock-solid alibi backed by security footage. _______ him further without finding new evidence.

The correct answer is There's no point in interrogating.

In English, the correct fixed expressions are "there's no point in [doing something]" and "it's no use [doing something]." The distractors mix up these phrases by using the wrong dummy subject ("it" vs. "there"), the wrong preposition, or an infinitive verb instead of a gerund.

Question 9

Complete the food critic's dramatic review of a terrible restaurant. Choose the correct words to complete the sentences.

The chef insisted the soup was a masterpiece, so we knew it was no use complaining to him about the taste. We also realized there was absolutely no point in salvaging the burnt appetizer, so we simply fed it to the stray dog outside.

The chef insisted the soup was a masterpiece, so we knew it was no use complaining to him about the taste.

After the phrase "it's no use" or "it was no use", we always use the gerund (the -ing form) of the verb.

We also realized there was absolutely no point in salvaging the burnt appetizer, so we simply fed it to the stray dog outside.

The correct preposition to follow "there is/was no point" is in, which must then be followed by a gerund (salvaging).

Question 10

Complete the 19th-century ghost's diary entry about his modern haunting struggles.

These modern homeowners just ask their smart speakers to turn the lights back on! _______ the heavy antique chandelier if they don't even look up from their phones.

The correct answer is It's no use dropping.

The phrase "it's no use" must be followed directly by a gerund ("dropping"). If you wanted to use "point," the correct structure would be "there's no point in dropping." The other options incorrectly use the infinitive or omit the necessary preposition.

Question 11

Help the exhausted IT technician complete his final report of the day by selecting the correct grammatical options.
It's no use _________________________ about the server crash now; the damage is already done. Furthermore, there's really no point _________________________ to recover the corrupted data without a valid backup.

complaining

The phrase "it's no use" is directly followed by a gerund (-ing form). Adding the preposition "in" or using an infinitive ("to complain") is incorrect.

in trying

The phrase "there's no point" is followed by the preposition "in" + a gerund. Using an infinitive ("to try") is a common mistake!

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