An action can have its own performer.

The idea

Before an -ing clause, a possessive such as your identifies the actor. An object form such as you is common in informal speech; the possessive is especially useful in formal writing and at the beginning of a sentence.

Examples

  • I appreciate your helping us.
  • I appreciate you helping us.
  • Her arriving early surprised the team.
  • We heard about them moving abroad.
  • The teacher welcomed Maya’s asking questions.
  • Do you mind me opening the window?

Read-aloud uses a synthetic English voice on your device. Quality and availability vary; it does not assess pronunciation.

Watch out

Do not use a subject pronoun such as I immediately before the clause; use my or, informally, me.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the correct option. In formal writing: I appreciate ___ checking the figures. (your / you are)

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    your

    your names the person checking the figures in the formal version.

  2. Choose the correct option. In conversation: Do you mind ___ leaving now? (me / I)

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    me

    me identifies the person who may leave in this conversational question.

  3. Choose the correct option. Whose arrival surprised us? We were surprised by ___ arriving early. (their / they)

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    their

    their identifies the people whose early arrival surprised us.

Use it today

Write a sentence about someone helping you, using a possessive before an action.