Question to 800Bob..plz clarify

[rockerz]

Hi Bob,

http://www.urch.com/forums/gmat-sent...-question.html (please check out this question)

In this thread, you mentioned that 'stinging causing' is wrong bcos causing is a gerund and shd be preceeded by a possessive but 'stinging's causing' would be really awkward.

However, I m presently going thru the OG11 (question 19) where the explanation says:
'The -ing form of a verb can be used as a noun, but it is often awkward, particularly when used with a possessive, as in this case.

The two statements seem to contradict..plz clarify..thanks.

[rockerz]

anyone else wants to chip in with some comments ?

Clarify guys if i m misreading the two statements..

[samsung123]

I actually could not understand the logic given by 800bob

[800Bob]

Originally Posted by rockerz

Hi Bob,

http://www.urch.com/forums/gmat-sent...-question.html (please check out this question)

In this thread, you mentioned that 'stinging causing' is wrong bcos causing is a gerund and shd be preceeded by a possessive but 'stinging's causing' would be really awkward.

However, I m presently going thru the OG11 (question 19) where the explanation says:
'The -ing form of a verb can be used as a noun, but it is often awkward, particularly when used with a possessive, as in this case.

The two statements seem to contradict..plz clarify..thanks.

What's the contradiction? If the -ing form is used as a noun, the person or thing that is doing the action should be in the possessive. For example:

I disapprove of John smoking.

This sentence is wrong. It's not "John" whom I disapproves o; it's the smoking. So the sentence should be:

I disapprove of John's smoking.

The following sentence is wrong:

This results in the act of stinging causing the bee to sustain a fatal injury.

It's not the act of stinging that results. It's the causing. But to use the possessive here would be awkward:

This results in the act of stinging's causing the bee to sustain a fatal injury.

OG11 and I agree that the possessive+gerund construction, though grammatically correct, is usually awkward.