Ask About English!!! Q13: 'me going/my going'

Hi,

Which of them is gramatically correct?

1) me going there will not help him

2) my going there will not help him

Thanks

B


Hi,

Both of these sentences are gramatically correct, but it depends on the context:

1) 'Going' in the 1st sentence is what we call a participle and functions as an adjective.

2) 'Going' in the 2nd sentence is what we call a gerund and functions as a noun.


In simple terms it is all about whether you wish to focus on me or my action.

Compare:

John doesn't like me whispering to his classmate. (participle).
(In this sentence, the focus is on me and the fact that John doesn't like me.)


John doesn't like my whispering to his classmate (gerund).

(Here, the focus is on the whispering that I do).

Hope this helps

Matt