Gerunds with Indirect Objects: Expressing Attitudes About Activities

Gerunds with Indirect Objects

Expressing Attitudes About Activities

Possessive Gerund Phrases

After certain verbs the indirect object is expressed as a possessive gerund phrase.

OBJECT - NOUN	OBJECT - POSSESSIVE NOUN	INDIRECT OBJECT - GERUND PHRASE
I appreciate help.	I appreciate his help.	I appreciate his helping me.
He resented me.	He resented my success.	He resented me for / my being successful.
Would you mind some smoke here?	Would you mind my smoking here?	*Would you mind my smoking here?

Indirect Object Pronoun vs. Possessive Gerund

	INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUN + FOR	POSSESSIVE GERUND
	George fixed my front door. I appreciate hiswork. I thanked him for fixing my door.	I appreciate his fixing my door.
	I'd like to smoke a cigarette here. Do you mind me smoking here? (* informal - "me")	Do you mind my smoking here?
	Golfers are hitting their golfballs down my hole. I resent them for hitting golf balls down my hole	I resent their hitting golf balls down my hole.
	I had to finish a report, so I was late last night. They forgave me for being late last night.	They forgave my being late last night. (or my lateness)
	I missed the target! Pardon me for missing the target!	Pardon my missing the target!

Other Verb Patterns

A. PRONOUN + PREPOSITION				B. POSSESSIVE PRONOUN
They	excused	you for	missing the meeting. (gerund phrase)	They	excused	your	missing the meeting. (gerund phrase)
	thanked	him for			resent	his	speaking out rudely. (gerund phrase)
	blamed	them for			forgave	their	cheating. (gerund)
	forgave	us for			pardoned	our	absence. (noun)
	pardoned	her for			appreciated	her	being so helpful. (gerund phrase) helpfulness.
	accused suspect	him of	cheating. (gerund phrase)	Noun phrases (changing clauses to noun phrases) A verb becomes a noun when the verb is changed to a gerund or gerund phrase.
	prevented stopped hindered	him from	leaving early. (noun phrase)
	apologized to	him for	being late. (gerund phrase)
	warned	him about	being late. (gerund phrase)
	complained to	him about	not having hot water. (gerund phrase)
	congratulated	him on	completing his exams.

Practice 1

Select the word from each menu that best completes the sentence.
Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right.

#	SENTENCE OR PHRASE	YOUR RESPONSE
eg	The hotel turned off our heat. (the hotel staff)	We complained to turning off the heat.
1.	You ran into the back of my car.	I blame causing the accident.
2.	Jack forgot to pick me up Saturday morning.	I forgave forgetting to pick me up.
3.	I didn't come to the board meeting because I was ill.	My boss excused being absent.
4.	The neighbors had a noisy party last night.	I warned making so much noise. (use "about")
5.	I forgot Kathleen's birthday.	I apologized to forgetting her birthday.
6.	George always lies about what he has done.	I resent telling lies about himself.
7.	We accidentally took the wrong bag at the airport.	They accused taking their baggage.
8.	He stepped on her foot while getting in line.	She pardoned stepping on her foot.
9.	The teacher made the students put way their cell phones before the test.	She prevented cheating on their test.
10.	The teacher noticed that everyone had a perfect score of a very difficult test.	She suspected stealing a copy of the test.

Practice 2

Thank You Letter

Select the word from each menu that best completes the sentence.

Dear Carla and Bob,

Thank donating to Glow Foundation. Your generous gift will benefit our students from under-resourced communities to succeed in college and beyond.

We appreciate giving Glow Scholars an opportuntiy to achieve their educational goals.

Next month, we have another fundraising event in which we will honor this year's graduates. We will be congratulating completing their final year with the Glow Program.

We look forward to working with us in the future. We hope that we can count on continuing support of the Glow Foundation.

Sincerely,

Jane Reed

Executive Director

Practice 3

Letter of Complaint

Dear Management
Pardon bringing this matter to your attention instead of bringing it to the attention of my manager. However, it is my manager about whom I am writing.

Last month, I noticed that the data for our company sales report had been changed and were inaccurate. When I told my manager, he prevented doing anything to correct the data.

In fact, he accused "putting my nose in someone else's business". I am writing to you because the success of this company is OUR business. I resent dismissive behavior.

When I spoke to the other employees in my department, they became concerned. We don't want you to blame the inaccurate data in the sales reports.

My co-workers and I would appreciate giving some attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Joe Reed

Accounting Department

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Gerunds