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Can we say something like "I am thankful for God's existing" rather than "...thankful for God's existence?"

Why do we never hear this?

I am thinking along the lines of: "She doesn't approve of me going out" vs. "She doesn't approve of my going out"

Can there be gerund(?) sentences that have nothing after them - like "existing" or "She doesn't approve of my knowing"?

J Kusin
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    Participles have a spectrum of meaning that covers both ends, that is to say the noun function and the verbal function. Depending on how they are used adds movement to a state. See elsewhere on this site regarding participles : it is a worthwhile study. – Nigel J Jul 18 '21 at 15:45
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    Does this answer your question? Using Nouns or Gerunds In your examples, using the POSS-ing structure would be grammatical, but would sound rather highfalutin, high-flown. If there is a regular noun, it is usually better to stick with it unless there is a good reason not to. Note also that the ACC-ing structure "She doesn't approve of me going out" is a red herring here. – Edwin Ashworth Jul 18 '21 at 15:46
  • @EdwinAshworth I'm sorry what does POSS and ACC refer to? And why is that example a red herring? – J Kusin Jul 18 '21 at 15:50
  • @JKusin The POSS-ing structure uses a possessive determiner to indicate the logical subject of an -ing verb (a form of nonfinite clause), for example as in *his calling the shots. The ACC-ing structure uses an object pronoun (think "accusative case") in that same position, for example as in him calling the shots. Both mean the same thing but the POSS form is mostly to be found only in writing not in speech, which prefers the ACC form. Some matrix verbs require a specific version here and forbid the other, e.g. I heard him calling Mother from upstairs.* – tchrist Jul 18 '21 at 16:06
  • (1) John Lawler explains this at the duplicate mentioned first (the third addresses the choice between the regular noun and the ing-form). (2) Your question asks about the difference between regular noun and ing-form usage in a possessive structure ('I am thankful for God's existence / existing.') The ACC-ing form (eg 'I was unsure at that time about God existing') wouldn't work well in your example, and doesn't allow a straight swap (*'I was unsure at that time about God existience.') – Edwin Ashworth Jul 18 '21 at 16:09
  • Your last sentence asks a different question. "She doesn't approve of my knowing" is OK if rather rarefied (possibly pretentious-sounding). Ditto, though less rarefied, for "She doesn't approve of me knowing" (here, the emphasis is 'me in particular knowing'). – Edwin Ashworth Jul 19 '21 at 11:00

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