When you have this construct:
. . . is a key factor in the making and controlling of the water.
Should you leave only the last verb in the gerund:
. . . is a key factor in the make and controlling of the water.
asked Feb 27, 2011 at 7:50
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The verb tense I am using is the present participle or the gerund? I would say it is the present participle.– John AssymptothCommented Feb 27, 2011 at 8:03
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2It's the gerund. You can tell because making and controlling are functioning as nouns.– chaosCommented Feb 27, 2011 at 8:24
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Alternative to make and control where both words again have the same tense– mplungjanCommented Feb 27, 2011 at 10:12
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At least you have a conjunction between the two gerunds. I have experienced sentences in which two gerunds occur in a row with nothing between them. Those sentences, while clear in meaning feel so incredibly unnatural and awkward. (I wish I could think of an example now…)– SynetechCommented Mar 1, 2011 at 21:11
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@Synetech inc. Please do. Now I'm curious. :)– John AssymptothCommented Mar 2, 2011 at 17:32
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2 Answers
You need to say "making and controlling".
What you have there is a parallel structure. A parallel structure is basically when you condense multiple sentences varying in only one item down to a single sentence with a list of the varied items:
I entered the marathon. I entered the decathlon. I entered the pole vault.
becomes
I entered the marathon, decathlon, and pole vault.
When you form a parallel structure, all the elements in the parallel MUST be in the same grammatical form: all nouns, all gerunds, all infinitive verbs, all prepositional phrases, etc. No mixing and matching is allowed.
No; the first version is correct.
