passive gerund

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wong zhi ching

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Good Day.

I would just like to know if the passive gerund is related to the continuous aspect of a verb.
for instance:

His being chosen surprises us all.

The "being" in the clause does not represent the continuous aspect of the verb, does it?
Rather, this "-ing" form represents gerund and the past-participle passive voice of the noun.

Am I making myself clear?
Or do I have to put the question in another way?
 

BobK

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:up: You could also say 'The fact that he was chosen surprised us all' (which makes the lack of 'continuousness' clearer). Using the gerund, especially with a possessive, gives quite a formal impression. But if that's appropriate...

b
 
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