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Anonymous Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
To imagine someone
Hi,
The following sentences are from Sherlock Holmes..
“Holmes is a little too scientific for my tastes–it approaches to coldbloodedness. I could imagine his giving a friend a little pinch of the latest vegetable alkaloid, not out of malevolence, you understand, but simply out of a spirit of inquiry in order to have an accurate idea of the effects...
I think the sentence “I could imagine his giving a friend a little pinch..” is not correct, it should have been "him" instead of "his". I could imagine HIM giving a friend a little pinch… Am I missing something?
Thanks for any comment.
The following sentences are from Sherlock Holmes..
“Holmes is a little too scientific for my tastes–it approaches to coldbloodedness. I could imagine his giving a friend a little pinch of the latest vegetable alkaloid, not out of malevolence, you understand, but simply out of a spirit of inquiry in order to have an accurate idea of the effects...
I think the sentence “I could imagine his giving a friend a little pinch..” is not correct, it should have been "him" instead of "his". I could imagine HIM giving a friend a little pinch… Am I missing something?
Thanks for any comment.
Top answer
” is not correct, it should have been "him" instead of "his". I could imagine HIM giving a friend a little pinch… Am I missing something? Yes, you are missing the fact that the formal grammar is 'his giving'—it is the giving that is of interest, not Holmes himself.
- ” is not correct, it should have been "him" instead of "his".
- I could imagine HIM giving a friend a little pinch… Am I missing something?
- Yes, you are missing the fact that the formal grammar is 'his giving'—it is the giving that is of interest, not Holmes himself.
- However, grammar guides today generally allow 'him' in that structure as well, at least in less formal writing if not on any occasion, as it is extremely common nowadays.
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1 Answers
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AnonymousI think the sentence “I could imagine his giving a friend a little pinch..” is not correct, it should have been "him" instead of "his". I could imagine HIM giving a friend a little pinch… Am I missing something?Yes, you are missing the fact that the formal grammar is 'his giving'—it is the giving that is of interest, not Holmes himself.
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