In spite of

* In spite of being disturbed late at night, Rod fell asleep again.

Part of a Compound Verbal Predicate

to begin

start

go on doing smth

keep

continue

stop

* He kept looking at me.

* The trams have stopped working.

THE GERUNDIAL COMPLEX

The gerund can have a subject of its own different from that of the sentence. (Compare : I insist on doing it . - I insist on your doing it). In this case the gerund and its subject form a construction called the gerundial complex. The relations between the elements are predicative. The first element of the complex may be expressed in a number of ways: by a noun in the common case, a noun in the possessive case, a pronoun in the objective case, a possessive pronoun.

girl ` s

girl doing smth

my being done

me

The gerundial complex has practically the same syntactical functions as the gerund:

The Subject

1.

no use

it is useless smb `s doing smth

was no good

* It is useless your going there.

2.

does smth

Smb ` s doing smth did smth

will do smth

would do smth

* His saying this made all the difference.

The Predicative

1.

The main thing

Smb`s wish

job is / was smb ` s doing smth

duty

* The main thing is his getting there in time.

2.

to feel like ( up to )

to be for / against smb ` s doing smth

* I am against your going there alone.

The Direct Object

(can) avoid

(can) afford

(can) stand

(can) help

smb `s doing smth

to mind

to like

to love

to hate

* I can ` t help his making mistakes.

* Do you mind my waiting here?

The Prepositional Object

to think of

to be afraid

to object to

to be used

to insist on smb ` s doing smth

to depend

to apologize

to be grateful for

to be responsible

* Much depends on your taking the job.

The Attribute

intention apology harm astonishment

plan capacity skill disappointment

sense passion interest delight

purpose of reason for use in pleasure at

idea reputation point surprise

habit talent difficulty

way excuse experience fantasy about

opportunity gift

thought objection to

* There is little harm in his doing it.

* I had no idea of your being here.

The Adverbial Modifier

on

after

before

by smb ` s doing smth

through

because of

without

* All that was after their leaving the place.