[Tsuwabuki]

So far, I think the primary use of こと one should focus on is the first one really mentioned, which is called 動名詞 in Japanese. I often hear sentences like あなたの主事を読むことができません, or "I cannot read your calligraphy." In English, as was mentioned, we usually add ing to make a verb into a noun, but as you see above, the translation may not always work out that way. A sentence that shows this pattern might be スケトをすることを楽しみます, or "I enjoy skating." In that case the こと really is serving the exact same function as the ing.