What part of speech is “swimming”

swimming is a noun that refers to the physical activity of propelling oneself through water by using one's limbs or one's body. It is a skill that is often used in athletic competitions, recreationally, or in order to exercise.

1. She won first place in the swimming competition.

2. I love taking a dip in our swimming pool after a long day.

3. We should go swimming this weekend.

there is one common use case of swimming that is sometimes overlooked. When the word swim is used in the imperative form, it means ‘move through water’ or ‘float on water.’ This is a very useful definition for rafting or any sort of water transportation. A common mistake is forgetting to use the plural form when referring to multiple instances of swimming.