Grammar

Question

him not accepting the proposal is really surprising

Cool Breeze · Accepted Answer

There is no grammatical reason to use him. The grammar is wrong. Say: The fact that he didn't accept the proposal is really surprising.

CB

Kumar Harsh · Answer

thanx

Anonymous · Answer

"him not accepting the proposal is really surprising"

You didn't actually state your question, but I assume it's about the acceptability of this example, in particular the use of him. The simple answer is yes - grammatically it's acceptable, though the informal accusative him is less likely than the more formal genitive (possessive) form (his not accepting the proposal...). But both forms are quite acceptable.

In case you're interested, the subject of the sentence is the non-finite gerund clause him not accepting the proposal in which him is the subject and not accepting the proposal is the predicate verb phrase.

Best

J

Cool Breeze · Answer

If Him not accepting the proposal is correct, then Him doesn't know it is, too. The object form him is perfectly grammatical when there is something before it that requires an object form. The most common such cases are prepositions and many verbs. These would be perfectly all right:

I'm not interested in him accepting the proposal.
We enjoyed him accepting the proposal.

Him accepting the proposal is just as grammatical as Him didn't accept the proposal.

CB

Anonymous · Answer

If Him not accepting the proposal is correct, then Him doesn't know it is, too

Not so. *Him doesn't know it is an entirely different construction. It's a finite clause so the nominative he as subject is obligatory: He doesn't know it. Non-finite gerund-participial clauses like the one submitted are, however, quite different inasmuch as they can in general take either an accusative or genitive case pronoun as subject. Here are some more perfectly acceptable examples using an accusative/genitive pronoun as subject of a gerund/participial clause:

[Him/his constantly questioning my motives] is really annoying.
[Them/their taking notes] is not a problem.
[Him/his leaving the firm] was most regrettable.

The one notable exception where we find a nominative subject in a non-finite clause is in gerund-participials functioning as supplement to a clause:

They appointed Max, [he/him being the only one who spoke Greek]

This construction, in which the bracketed clause is a supplement, is the only one where we find a nominative subject in a non-finite clause; it belongs to a fairly formal style while the accusative form is relatively informal (and less likely).

Him accepting the proposal is just as grammatical as Him didn't accept the proposal.

Same point applies: *Him didn't accept the proposal is a finite clause and therefore requires the nominative he as subject.

See what I mean?

Best
J

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