please help

[Ana Laura]

Hello

I would like to know if there is any difference between the following sentences:

1) She thanked me for having brought her flowers/ She thanked me for bringing her flowers.

2) He was accused of stealing the bag/ of having stolen the bag.

3) She congratulated him on having won/ winning the race.

4) He blamed me for ruining the marriage/ for having ruined ...

5) She boasted about having 3 houses/ having had 3 houses?

If someone tells you ... 'Come with me, Mary!' if you want to report it you would say 'He insisted on me going with him??? it is ok?

Thank you for your help!!
Ana Laura

[2006]

In 5) the meanings can be different. "having 3 houses" usually refers to the present situation, but in proper context it can refer to the past. "having had 3 houses" can only refer to the past.

a) I don't think "come with me" is strong enough to qualify as insisting. Also, insisting implies telling you more than once, even after you said you didn't want to go.

b) The correct sentence is, 'He insisted on my going with him.' The rule is that a noun or pronoun modifying a gerund must be in the possessive form. However, most native speakers say 'me'.

[Barb_D]

Depending on when they are said, the others could be the same in meaning, but the ones with the -ing form sound more immediate.

If I won the race ten days ago, then the "having won" sounds better to me.

(But it could just be my ears.)