The use of gerund as a noun

[Nessie]

Hi,
please check if my answers for these questions are right:

1/ All the youth must contribute to ... the country
a. building of
b. the building
c. the building of
d. build of
=> my answer: c

2/ One of the government's plans here is ... the swamps
a. drainage
b. draining
c. draining of
d. drained
=> my answer: b

Thanks in advance
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Sorry seems to be the hardest word...

[Alan]

Hi Nessie,

I think you have chosen the right answers but I'm not really happy with the English in the sentences. I would write (1) as: All young people must contribute to the development of the country and (2) as: One of the government's plans here is to drain the swamps.

Alan
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[Molly]

2/ One of the government's plans here is ... the swamps
a. drainage
b. draining
c. draining of
d. drained
=> my answer: b

Why isn't "the draining of" a choice, there?

[SkiIucK]

Hi Molly,

Where can you see 'the'?

Best regards

[Molly]

What is it that makes you unhappy about that construction, Alan? Would you be unhappy with these "the *ing of the" constructions, Alan?

-Cardiff castle has a history of more than 1900 years dating from the coming of the Romans in the first century.

-Within limits, the family of the dead soldier could form the wording of the announcement without censorship, making the death-columns (alongside advertisements) the only

-how the classical economists rested their belief in the inherent tendency towards a state of full employment upon an analysis of the functioning of the labour market which has proved to be both durable and compelling.

[Yankee]

Hi Molly

Two of your three sentences can only use the gerund (because of the preceding preposition).

As regards your second sentence, are you suggesting that you would consider the construction "could form to word of the construction" to be an alternative? :shock:
.
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[Molly]

I'm trying to find out why alan "rejected2 the "gerund contructions" on offer, Yankee.

And how about these?

-how the classical economists rested their belief in the inherent tendency towards a state of full employment upon an analysis of the functional nature of the labour market which has proved to be both durable and compelling.

-Cardiff castle has a history of more than 1900 years dating from the entry of the Romans in the first century.

The en

[Nessie]

Hi Alan,
Thanks a lot for your help. Your explaination and recommendation for the first question is perfectly easy to understand :)
You know, the sentence is cited from a text book for 12 graders (written by non-native authors), so it is not very natively written (especially in word choosing :) )

However, could you please explain for me why we shouldn't use "draining" but "to drain"?
Many thanks one more time :)

Nessie
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:(... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know.. :(

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...

[Nessie]

Hi Molly,
I think you have misunderstood Alan. His recommendation for the first sentence is that we should use "the development of the country" rather than "the building of the country", so that it sounds more natural. He didn't reject the use of the gerund construction here
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Sorry seems to be the hardest word...

[Molly]

His recommendation for the first sentence is that we should use "the development of the country" rather than "the building of the country", so that it sounds more natural.

No misunderstanding at all. I'm asking why he didn't suggest "the developing of the country" and "the drainage of".

[Nessie]

Uhm... I personally think they mean the same, but let's wait for Alan's idea ;)
_________________
:(... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know.. :(

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...

[Nessie]

Hi Alan, may I knoww your idea, please?
_________________
:(... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know.. :(

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...

[Nessie]

Hi Alan, where have you been? :O
_________________
:(... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know.. :(

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...