In the sentence "Drawing was his favorite personal activity," what role does the gerund play?

In the sentence "Drawing was his favorite personal activity," the word "drawing" functions as a complement. Specifically, it acts as a subject complement that follows the linking verb "was" and provides more information about the subject. A subject complement typically rephrases or identifies the subject, and in this case, "drawing" identifies what was considered his favorite personal activity.

It is important to recognize that gerunds, which are formed by adding "-ing" to verbs, can take on different roles in sentences. In this instance, "drawing" is not functioning as the subject of the sentence; rather, it is linked to the subject through the verb "was." Thus, the correct identification of "drawing" as a complement provides clarity about its role in conveying the meaning of the sentence.