<span>Edgar Allan Poe (January 19, 1809 to October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, critic and editor best known for evocative short stories and poems that captured the imagination and interest of readers around the world. His imaginative storytelling and tales of mystery and horror gave birth to the modern detective story. Many of Poe’s works, including “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Fall of the House of Usher,” became literary classics. Some aspects of Poe’s life, like his literature, is shrouded in mystery, and the lines between fact and fiction have been blurred substantially since his death.</span>
First, you find the simple subject and simple predicate.
If the '-ing' form of the verb is not part of the simple predicate, then determine how it is used in the sentence. If it's in a noun position, then it's a gerund. If it is used as an adjective, then it will be a participle.
