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Seagull Posted 8 years ago
Grammar

A question about gerunds

Hello there. I have a question.

Could you evaluate the following five sentences depending on whether it is natural? --

(A) Tom's mother is angry at him for not doing his best.
(B) Tom's mother is angry at him for his not doing his best.
(C) Tom's mother is angry at him for him not doing his best.

(D) Mary denied taking the book out of the library before.
(E) Mary denied having taken the book out of the library before.

  

Top answer

(A) Tom's mother is angry at him for not doing his best. Fine (B) Tom's mother is angry at him for his not doing his best. Correct, but we seldom say it.

— Clive

  • (A) Tom's mother is angry at him for not doing his best.
  • Fine (B) Tom's mother is angry at him for his not doing his best.
  • Correct, but we seldom say it.
  • Formal.
  • (C) Tom's mother is angry at him for him not doing his best.
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1 Answers
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(A) Tom's mother is angry at him for not doing his best. Fine
(B) Tom's mother is angry at him for his not doing his best. Correct, but we seldom say it. Formal.


(C) Tom's mother is angry at him for him not doing his best. Say (A)

(D) Mary denied taking the book out of the library before. Fine
(E) Mary den

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