Crews worked at containment, keeping the oil from spreading, but their efforts weren't effective.
I was asked whether the word 'keeping' was a gerund or a participle.
I said that it was a participle and the whole phrase in italics describes 'Crews'.
However, another another person argued that it was an appositive phrase. So this person believes it is a gerund.
What do you think it is? In other words, do you think that the phrase renames the word 'containment' or the phrase describes 'Crews'?
Cheers.
I was asked whether the word 'keeping' was a gerund or a participle.
I said that it was a participle and the whole phrase in italics describes 'Crews'.
However, another another person argued that it was an appositive phrase. So this person believes it is a gerund.
What do you think it is? In other words, do you think that the phrase renames the word 'containment' or the phrase describes 'Crews'?
Cheers.
Comments (Page 4)
Thanks for playing, and better luck next time!
CJ
SEVERAL TIMES, & GOTTEN OTHER INPUT BEFORE POSTING.
(1) I think that I have the answer -- which probably means that I
am wrong.
(2) I agree with Grammar Geek that "keeping the oil from spilling"
should be parsed as an appositive. That is, it is a gerund phrase/clause
that is in apposition with "containment."
(3) But I also agree with R.H. that -- technically speaking -- "keeping
the oil from spelling" cannot be an appositive because those 5 words
are not synonymous with the noun "containment."
(4) How can they both be right? I may (repeat "may") have found
the answer in (of course) A Comprehensive Grammar of the English
Language by Professor Randolph Quirk et al.
(a) They claim that weak [all words in bold type are my emphasis]
apposition = the appositives come from different syntactic classes.
The optional indicator namely may be used if the second appositive
is more specific, which is the case when the second appositive is a
clause (finite or nonfinite). Their examples:
She has a problem: namely should she charge them for the damage?
Their solution, namely to appoint a committee, is deplorable.
(b) I submit for your consideration:
Crews worked at containment, namely keeping the oil from spreading,
but their efforts weren't effective.
I really proofread the comments 5 times before posting.
Just proves that important documents should always be
proofread by at least two persons.
grammar.
I wish to share it.
She agrees with Mr. Pedantic and CalifJim that
"keeping the oil from spreading" may, indeed, refer to "Crews
worked on containment."
She says that we could interpret it as an elliptical adjective
clause:
The crews worked on containment, [which was]
keeping the oil from spreading, but their efforts were
not effective.
(Some books interpret the "which" as a relative pronoun referring
to the whole preceding sentence. In other words, "which" =
which fact. )