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Debpriya De Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Gerund or participle
"I don't like people telling me what to do."
As far as I am concerned , the above sentence can be interpreted in two ways :
1. I don't like people who tell me what to do (when "telling" is considered a participle).
2. I don't like people's telling me what to do (when "telling" is considered a gerund).
How would a native interpret this sentence ?
As far as I am concerned , the above sentence can be interpreted in two ways :
1. I don't like people who tell me what to do (when "telling" is considered a participle).
2. I don't like people's telling me what to do (when "telling" is considered a gerund).
How would a native interpret this sentence ?
Top answer
Debpriya De How would a native interpret this sentence ? I don't like being told what to do. I don't like it when someone tells me what to do.
- Debpriya De How would a native interpret this sentence ?
- I don't like being told what to do.
- I don't like it when someone tells me what to do.
- I don't see any difference in the meaning of these various ways of saying the same thing.
- CJ
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8 Answers
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Debpriya DeHow would a native interpret this sentence ?I don't like being told what to do.
I don't like it when someone tells me what to do.
I don't see any difference in the meaning of these various ways of saying the same thing.
CJ
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This is being slightly pedantic as most people would believe them to be the same. You could say though:
I don't like people who tell me what to do - The people who 'boss me around', I dislike.
I don't like poeple telling me what to do - I dislike being given orders but am inpartial to the people doing it.
I don't like people who tell me what to do - The people who 'boss me around', I dislike.
I don't like poeple telling me what to do - I dislike being given orders but am inpartial to the people doing it.
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"I don't like people telling me what to do."
So , is "telling" a gerund or a participle here ?
So , is "telling" a gerund or a participle here ?
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Debpriya De"I don't like people telling me what to do."So , is "telling" a gerund or a participle here ?I suppose it's not a participle here because they "tell" you something generally, day by day. Compare it with: "I saw that guy telling his friend a story". In this case, "telling" might be considered as a participle.
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"Debpriya De"]"I don't like people telling me what to do."So , is "telling" a gerund or a participle here ?[/quote] [/quote]
Telling -in your sentecne is a "present participle". So is " I don't want to see you drinking again".
Telling -in your sentecne is a "present participle". So is " I don't want to see you drinking again".
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Why can't it be a gerund ?
I can write it as "I don't like people's telling me what to do."
I can write it as "I don't like people's telling me what to do."
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Debpriya DeWhy can't it be a gerund ?I can write it as "I don't like people's telling me what to do."If you wrote it that way, it would be a gerund.
Just like,
I don't like your telling me what to do.
vs. I don't like you telling me what to do.
But the native ear takes the non-possessive version as "I don'
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Debpriya DeWhy can't it be a gerund ?I can write it as "I don't like people's telling me what to do."What determines a verb + ing a gerund or a present participle depends on how it is used in the sentence rather than the pattern in which it is used.
Yes, your sentence above is indeed a gerund. But
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