People needing to be better.

Question

Please can you help me, what grammar is this?

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

People needing to be better.

It's just a phrase, not a full sentence.
'Needing to be better' adjectivally describes 'people'.

A full sentence needs a finite verb, eg 'People need to be better'.

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you very much Clive.

I went back and checked the full sentence: There’s also been a lot of talk about people needing to be better parents – or even attending parenting classes. There’s also been a lot of talk about people needing to be better parents – or even attending parenting classes.

Do you know what the 'needing' grammar is please?

Clive · Answer

Hi,
I went back and checked the full sentence: There’s also been a lot of talk about people needing to be better parents – or even attending parenting classes. There’s also been a lot of talk about people needing to be better parents – or even attending parenting classes.

Do you know what the 'needing' grammar is please?

You can view it as a gerund.
ie There’s also been a lot of talk about people's needing to be better parents – or even their attending parenting classes

Or as a description of the kind of people.
ie There’s also been a lot of talk about people who are needing to be better parents – or even who are attending parenting classes.

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

Dear Clive

Thank you so much!

People needing to be better.

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