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Grasshopperzzz Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
pronoun help
Which is correct and why?:
A. I made a mistake. I want to avoid its happening again.
B. I made mistakes. I want to avoid their happening again.
C. I made a mistake. I want to avoid it happening again.
D. I made mistakes. I want to avoid them happening again.
My co-worker believes the possessive pronoun is correct as in A and B, and I believe C and D are correct. Also, are the words "happening again" modifiers of the verb, "avoid"? What are they called?
A. I made a mistake. I want to avoid its happening again.
B. I made mistakes. I want to avoid their happening again.
C. I made a mistake. I want to avoid it happening again.
D. I made mistakes. I want to avoid them happening again.
My co-worker believes the possessive pronoun is correct as in A and B, and I believe C and D are correct. Also, are the words "happening again" modifiers of the verb, "avoid"? What are they called?
Top answer
Welcome to English Forums! All four are possible. A and B are perhaps more formal.
- Welcome to English Forums!
- All four are possible.
- A and B are perhaps more formal.
- happening is a gerund.
- its/their/it/them happening again is a non-finite clause.
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1 Answers
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Welcome to English Forums!
All four are possible. A and B are perhaps more formal.
happening is a gerund.
its/their/it/them happening again is a non-finite clause. It's a complement of the verb avoid. It's not a modifier.
CJ
All four are possible. A and B are perhaps more formal.
happening is a gerund.
its/their/it/them happening again is a non-finite clause. It's a complement of the verb avoid. It's not a modifier.
CJ
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