The use of verbal phrases with gerund constructions

2.2. The main function of the gerund in forming predicative constructions
The voice distinctions of the gerund.
The gerund of transitive verbs has special forms for the active and the passive voice.
He liked neither reading aloud nor being read aloud to. (Mau­g ham)
It is to be observed that after the verbs to want, to need, to .deserve, to require and the adjective worth the gerund is used in the active form, though it is passive in meaning.
“The slums want attending to, no doubt,” he said. (Galsworthy)
Не realized that his room needed painting.
The child deserves praising.
They were not worth saving. (Hem)
Like all the verbal’s the gerund can form predicative construe- -tins, i. e. constructions in which the verbal element expressed by the gerund is in predicate relation to the nominal element ex­pressed by a noun or pronoun
I don’t like your going off without any money. (Malts
Here the gerund going off is in predicate relate i off noun your, which denotes the doer of the action Jip fled toy lit»* gerund.
The nominal element of the construction different ways.

15. 
    If it denotes a living being it may be expressed:
    

5. 
   by a noun in the genitive case or by a possessive pronoun.
   

His further consideration of the point was prevented by Richard’s coming back to us in an excited state. (Dickens)
Do you mind ту smoking? (Hardy)
by a noun in the common case.
I have a distinct recollection of Lady Chiltern always getting the good conduct prize! (Wilde)
Note. —Thus in Modern English there are two parallel constructions of the type: Fancy David's courting Emily! and Fancy David courting Emily! These two constructions may be used indifferently, but sometimes there is a slight difference in meaning: in the first example the action (the verbal element of the construction) is emphasized, whereas in the second the doer of the action (the nominal element of the construction) is emphasized.
Occasionally examples are found where the nominal element of the construction is expressed by a pronoun in the objective case.
I hope you will forgive me disturbing you. (Du Maurer)
There are cases when the nominal element of the construction, though denoting a living being, cannot be expressed by a noun in the possessive case, but only by a noun in the common case, namely when it consists of two or more nouns or when it is a noun modified by an attribute in post-position.
I object to Mary and Jane going out on such a windy day. He felt no uneasiness now in the thought of the brother and) sister being alone together. (Eliot)
Did you ever hear of a man of sense rejecting such an offer? If the nominal element of the construction denotes a lifeless thing, it is expressed by a noun in the common case (such nouns, as a rule, are not used in the genitive case) or by a possessive pronoun.
I said something about my clock being slow. (Du Maurier) Peggotty spoke of... my room, and of its being ready for me. (Dickens)

16. 
    The nominal element of the construction can also be expressed which has no case distinctions, such as all, this, that, both, each, something.
    

I insist on both of them coming in time.
Again Michael... was conscious of something deep and private
stirring within himself. (Galsworthy)
f™arian^s recognhe the existence ₀f two separate construc­tions. the gerundial construction (a construction whose nominal element expressed by a noun m the genitive case or by a possessive pro­noun) and a construction with a half g_{erund (a} instruction whose nominal element is expressed by a m_um in the common case, a pro­tons) Pennon which has no case distinct-
A gerundial construction is nearly always rendered in Russian by a subordinate clause, generally introduced by etc.
His being a foreigner, an ex-enemyton)
Her thoughts were interrupted at last, bv the door opening gently.
I began to picture to myself... my being found dead in a day or two, under some hedge. (Dickens)
The Infinitive and the Gerund
The gerund is if a more general, abstract character than the infinitive:
QO She does not like going there! (in general) —She does not like to go there (on a certain occa­sion)— I like skating (in general), but 1 do not like to skate to-day (on such a cold day).
The infinitive often serves to indicate a perfective action; the gerund, an imperfective:
He likes to smoke a cigarette and then to go for a walk. He likes smoking a cigarette by the fireside.
The action of the infinitive often refers to the subject of the sentence, whereas the action of the gerund used in the same con­nection is not necessarily associated with the agent expressed by the subject of the sentence, but may also refer to some other agent:
She does not like to trifle with serious things (= herself.) She does not like trifling with serious things (=either herself or when somebody else does it.)
Constructions (Complexes) with the Gerund

17. 
    Sometimes the gerund is preceded by a possessive pronoun or a noun in the possessive case:
    

1 insist on Mary’s (her) going there.
In this construction the relation between the noun (or pronoun) and the gerund is that of secondary subject and secondary predicate Such a construction may have the function of a complex sub­ject, predicative, object, attribute or adverbial modifier.
Jim’s coming to that fishing village was a blessing... (Con­rad. (complex subject.) I began to picture to myself... my being found dead in a day or two, under some hedge... (Dickens.) (complex direct object.) She wondered at his caring for things like that... (Mansfield.) (complex prepositional object.) There was little likelihood of his meeting anybody at that time. (J once.) (complex attribute.) “How did you get out without his seeing you?” (Vanish.) (complex adverbial modifier.)
A gerundial complex used as subject is often introduced by an anticipatory it:
It was quite unexpected his coming back so soon. It is not worth while your going there to-day. It’s not much good my coming, is it?
Perhaps it’s of no use my mentioning it at present. (Eliot t.) It was not of the least use my trying to look wise. (Dickens.)

18. 
    If the noun which precedes the gerund cannot be used in the possessive case, the common case is used:
    

He did not recollect su~h a thing having happened to him before. (Galsworthy.) Meanwhile, the rain came down in a steady torrent, and the lower part of the town was under water, owing to the river having overflowed. (Jerome.)
In Modern English there is a tendency to use the common case even with such nouns which may be used in the possessive case, and to use the objective case of personal pronouns:
I remember my brother-in-law going for a short sea trip once for the benefit oi his health. (Jerome.) On Mr. Brown calling to him to come in, he found himself in a little back room... (Dickens.) “You must forgive me coming at such an hour..." (Galsworthy.) The umbrella strained and pulled and I felt us, driving along with it. (Hemingway.)
’''The mg-form when preceded by a noun in the common case or a pronoun in the objective case has a function intermediate between that of participle I and the gerund. / rely on John (him) doing it in time. On the one hand this construction is closely connected in meaning with the gerundial construction / rely on John's (his) doing it in time; on the other hand it reminds us of the participle construction (“Accusative with the Participle”): / s-адо Jonn (him) doing it. Such an ing-form may be called a half-gerund.

19. 
    The gerund of such verbs as to be, to get, to become, to re main, etc. is often used with the force of a link-verb and is fol­lowed by a predicative:
    

Just before dinner he was told of Mrs. Stormer’s not being well. . (Galsworthy.) “Won’t you sit down?” she said. “You must forgive our being at work.” (Galsworthy.) ...you’ll excuse my being busy. (Dickens.)
The gerund may be rendered in Russian by an infinitive, a noun, or a whole subordinate clause:
Learning rules without examples is useless.
Don’t you remember meeting me in When the gerund is used as an adverbial modifier it is often rendered in Russian by
On returning home I found the doctor there. себя доктора.
Complexes with the gerund are usually rendered in Russian by whole subordinate clauses:
Excuse my interrupting you. —I insist on your going there immediately. — Our missing the train was most vexing.—. You will discuss it after my leaving. —