 #3 (permalink) Tue Oct 20, 2009 4:10 am word verbs followed by a gerund. |
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| Nerry wrote: |
| I've found some word verbs that can be followed by a gerund and I am little confused of the usage. |
Well, first you must be aware that gerunds are not used solely to give continuity to actions, as in:
"Look ma! 8oD I'm rollerskating!"
"She was slacking off"
"We'll be winning tons of money in no time, gentlemen; Vegas here we go!"
2.You be better off arguing with me.
"You are better off not arguing with me"
I think this fits in the "continuous action" case: "while you continuously don't argue".
Gerunds have the power to turn actions/verbs into things/nouns and even qualities/adjectives:
"Oh! What a beautiful girl!"; "Wow, Jeez, a flying girl!" (<- qualities)
"Dogs are prohibited"; "Smoking is prohibited". (<- things)
All the structures you presented actually demand a thing/noun, therefore gerunds were used for conversion.
5.You might keep on count on his calling.
I guess you meant "You might keep on counting on his calling", right?
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Okay, now make sure you consult one of the many free online dictionaries available (I recommend www.thefreedictionary.com) before posting a "plain definition" question. Don't get intimidated by their polluted front pages: type into their discreet search fields (it can be entire phrasal verbs like the following) and off you go! ;o) Anyways:
16.Approve of .......?????
"approve of"="take a favorable view of":
"Do you approve of hunting?"
17.Put off.........??????????
"put off"="postpone", "delay", "procrastinate":
"He put off finding a new job, again!"
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6.Why should you depend on her coming?
10.He objected to her excusing.
13.I think about her meeting tomorrow.
5.You might keep on counting on his calling.
8.I insisted on your being here.
11.I always rely on your answering.
I strongly suspect that "gerund phrases" need extra awareness in choosing between "inert pronouns"...
me / you / him / her / it / us / you / them
.. or possessives:
my / your / his / her / its / our / your / their
"[Your smoking] is not welcome." (your "smoke" action)
"[You] smoking are not welcome." (you, while smoking)
"She insisted on me using pink shirts".
(In order to use a possessive smoothly: "She insisted on my use of pink shirts", or maybe "my using of".)
I see, though, possessives quite frequently as in: "She insisted on my using pink shirts", but Google Search nearly always returns more results for the "inert pronouns" option. I usually prefer the "inert pronouns"
What do you, forum people, think?
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Cheering cheers!
Planta |
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 Planta
I'm new here and I like it ;-)
Joined: 18 Oct 2009
Posts: 40
Location: Brazil, São Paulo
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