A gerund phrase in apposition with an abstract noun

Question

I like the idea of those friends having a lot of money.I think "the idea" is in apposition with the gerund phrase "those friends having a lot of money", and that "those friends" is the subject of "having"; am I right?Thank you in advance for your help.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

park sang joonI like the idea of those friends having a lot of money.I think "the idea" is in apposition with the gerund phrase "those friends having a lot of money", and that "those friends" is the subject of "having"; am I right?Thank you in advance for your help.

I wouldn't name the the idea of those friends having a lot of money as an appositional one. It is better to be described as the of-genitive structure.

"Those friends" is the subject of the non-finite clause "those friends having a lot of money"

Park sang joon · Answer

Thank you, No Name One, for your very helpful answer.

Then, do you agree with me that 'having' is a gerund?

Please see the following sentences.

As we look back, we can indeed see the the notion of individual rights broadening out to include more and more of the people, until it came at length to be extended to them all.

I'd like to know whether I can think that "to include" expresses the result of "to broaden out" with playing the role of modifying "broadening out" and "to include" modifies "broadening out" and "individual rights broadening out " is a gerund phrase, and that "the notion of individual rights broadening out " is of-genitive structure.

Anonymous · Answer

park sang joonI'd like to know whether I can think that "to include" expresses the result of "to broaden out" with playing the role of modifying "broadening out" and "to include" modifies "broadening out" and "individual rights broadening out " is a gerund phrase, and that "the notion of individual rights broadening out " is of-genitive structure.

I don't like the wording of the "As we look back, we can indeed see the the notion of individual rights broadening out to include more and more of the people, until it came at length to be extended to them all." In my opinion, it's a bit opaque.

I'd change it like that: As we look back, we can indeed see that the notion of broadening out individual rights had included more and more of the people, until it came at length to be extended to them all.

Then, in the subordinated clause that the notion of broadening out individual rights had included more and more of the people "the notion of broadening out individual rights" is a subject, "had included" a verb (predicator) and "more and more of the people" an object.

Park sang joon · Answer

Thank you, No Name One, for your elaborate answer and continuing support.

In my opinion, it's a bit opaque.

Why do think so? ; isn't my example interpreted the way I have suggested?

As we look back, we can indeed see that the notion of broadening out individual rights had included more and more of the people, until it came at length to be extended to them all.

Then, do you agree with me that "broadening out" is a gerund?

A gerund phrase in apposition with an abstract noun

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions