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exception
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June 1, 2010
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Unpacking English, Bit by Bit
A community for questioning, nitpicking, and debating the quirks and rules of the English language.
Unpacking English, Bit by Bit
A community for questioning, nitpicking, and debating the quirks and rules of the English language.
Unpacking English, Bit by Bit
A community for questioning, nitpicking, and debating the quirks and rules of the English language.
Username
exception
Member Since
June 1, 2010
Total number of comments
1
Total number of votes received
3
Bio
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“His being chosen” vs. “His having been chosen”
"His selection as headmaster surprised us" could be interpreted as "[The person that he chose] as headmaster surprised us." It's ok if there is no ambiguity in the context, though.
The clearest option is to make it active voice: "We were surprised that he was chosen as a headmaster."