Possessives Precede Gerunds



by Tina Blue
September 26, 2003


What is a gerund, and how does it differ from a  present participle?*

The present participle is the ing form of a verb used as an adjective: running shoes; breaking story; losing game; reading assignment.

         A gerund is the ing form of a verb used as a noun. The gerund form of a verb looks exactly like the present participle, but they function differently in a sentence. The gerund will fill a noun slot (subject, direct object, object of preposition, etc.), but the participle will be either an adjective or part of a verb phrase:


    ~Running is good exercise. (gerund)
    ~Are those new running shoes? (participle)
    ~He is running his last race today. (participle)


    ~Don't even think about buying that dress! (gerund)
    ~This is the new buying guide for used cars.  (participle)
    ~I won't be buying a new car until I can save up a decent down payment.             (participle)


Why is a gerund supposed to be preceded by a possessive?

A noun or pronoun linked immediately with a gerund should be in the possessive case. 

Because a gerund acts as a noun, that means that if a noun or a pronoun precedes it, that noun or pronoun must be in the case that will allow it to modify another noun--i.e, the possessive case. For example, the noun "book" would not be preceded by the objective case of a pronoun or the plain form of a noun: 

~This is me book.
~This is Jane book.
~This is him book.
~This is them book.

You would use the possessive forms of the nouns and pronouns to modify the noun:

~This is my book.
~This is Jane's book.
~This is his book.
~This is their book.

Since a gerund is a noun, just as "book" is a noun, the same rule applies: Use the possessive form to modify the gerund.

Here is a simple example to help you see the difference between a present participle, which may be preceded by the objective case of a pronoun or by the plain form of a noun, and a gerund, which needs the possessive form to modify it:

~I saw Jim swimming. 
("Swimming" is a participle describing Jim.)

~I admired Jim's swimming.
("Swimming" is a gerund, acting as the direct object of the verb admired: What did I admire?  I admired his swimming.)



Here are some examples of gerunds that are wrongly preceded either by the objective case of a pronoun or by the plain form of a noun:


INCORRECT:

~He resents you being more popular than he is. 
~Most of the members paid their dues without me asking them. 
~They objected to the youngest girl being given the command position.
~What do you think about him buying such an expensive car.
~We were all grateful for Jane taking on the responsibility for the party.



Here are the correct versions, with the possessives in their proper place before the gerunds:

CORRECT:

~He resents your being more popular than he is. 
~Most of the members paid their dues without my asking them. 
~They objected to the youngest girl's being given the command position.
~What do you think about his buying such an expensive car?
~We were all sorry about Jane's losing her parents like that.

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* For a more complete explanation of gerunds, participles and the other nonfinite verb form (infinitives), see "Nonfinite Verb Forms (Verbals)."
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