hi there.... can anybody kindly explain this to me?

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ESL forum > Message board > hi there.... can anybody kindly explain this to me?

hi there.... can anybody kindly explain this to me?

Miss_Alel�

hi there.... can anybody kindly explain this to me?

Iverson complained about his playing again on Wednesday.

I just dont why his +playing.

Thanks in advance.

9 Apr 2009

Hi Aleli

Hope things are well with you. I �m getting ready for school...just today & tomorrow then 2weeks of holiday!

The verb complain takes the preposition about.

After prepositions we always use a gerund = playing

Now if we say Iverson complained about playing again on Wednesday. without "his"

means that Iverson is referring to himself, so both the original sentence and the sentence above are correct.

If you want to say that Iverson complained about another person, then you either use the person �s name or you use an adjective pronoun to replace the name.

E.g. Inverson complained about John �s playing... = Inverson complained about his

playing.

Inverson complained about Mary �s playing... = Inverson complained about her playing.. etc.

Instead of using a possessive adjective (my, your, his, her etc) you can use a direct object (me, you, him, her etc)

So, it �s also correct to say:

Inverson complained about him playing again... The him in this sentence refers to another person & not to Inverson.

I hope that clears things a bit for you

Regards from Greece,

Alexandra

9 Apr 2009

I think another way to understand this could be to insert the word "ability"

Iverson complained about his playing "ability" again on Wednesday.

Maybe this helps make the gerund easier to understand?

9 Apr 2009

Miss_Alel�

Wow Alexandra you are a genious!!! You were very clear!!!

Thank you very much!!!

9 Apr 2009

goodnesses

Hi , alex1968

I agree with you �saying � "The verb complain takes the preposition about. After prepositions we always use a gerund = playing"

But not when you say "

Now if we say Iverson complained about playing again on Wednesday. without "his"

means that Iverson is referring to himself, so both the original sentence and the sentence above are correct.

If you want to say that Iverson complained about another person, then you either use the person �s name or you use an adjective pronoun to replace the name."

"HIS" in the two sentences refers to the same sentence; Iverson.

However, when we say ...
1 - "complained about playing" we understand that he had to play on the following Wednesday a thing that apparently he did like to do. It was not Wednesday yet at the moment of reporting.
2 - "complained about his playing � here we undersatand that he was complaining about something he already did "his way of playing/performance". Wednesday preceded the moment of reporting.

regards

9 Apr 2009

HARIM

To clarify things out of the mist,let �s substitute playing with another noun:

Iverson complained about the job.

This sentence is very general because there �s no clear reference to whose job Iverson complained about.

Iverson complained about his job.

A clear reference.

Hope it �s clear.

Have a good day.

9 Apr 2009

alien boy

Well, it really comes down to context as to whether Iverson is complaining about his own playing or that of someone else.

Iverson complained about his playing again on Wednesday

�his � can be a reference, as reported speech, to Iverson �s complaint about his own playing. The complaint has been made more than once by Iverson.

OR

�his � could be a reference to a third male individual �s playing that Iverson has complained about on more than one occasion.

Hope that makes sense.
CHeers!

9 Apr 2009

rach81

Hi Aleli,

The possesive case pronouns are used before a noun and a gerund.

Ex.

1. Before a noun: I borrowed his book.

pr noun

2. We were surprized about his joining the club.

pr gerund

So in your sentence "Iversion cpmplained about his playing again on Wednesday", Since playing is a gerund then a prossesive pronoun should preceed it.

Hope this helps too.

hugs!

9 Apr 2009

HARIM

rach81

I don �t agree that there should be a possessive pronoun.The sentence is correct even without a reference;but it �s clearer with a reference as Alien boy said.

Cheers

9 Apr 2009