[Grammar] Gerund and/or infinitive

[Anne59]

Hi everyone,

My teacher told me that this sentence is not correct:-

"We have the right of living in a healthy environment"

and it should be:-

"We have the right to live in a healthy environment."

Can "the right" never be followed by a gerund? I think I have seen it but I can't find it anywhere.

Thanks!

 

[bhaisahab]

Your teacher was right about your sentence. Never say "never".

 

[Anne59]

Does it depend on the context? When you say "Never say never" do you mean there is time when the gerund can be used?

 

[Raymott]

I'd suggest that "Never say 'Never'" means that there is a time when the gerund might be usable. Often, there are too many different contexts to say 'always' or 'never'. It does not mean that bhaisahab has such a context in mind.

 

[Anne59]

If it might be possible to use the gerund, can anyone give me an example?

 

[Matthew Wai]

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Interior+Ministry+Bans+Al-Wefaq+Rally.-a0293981386
I found 'the right of rallying' above. Is it acceptable?

Not a teacher.

 

[emsr2d2]

I find it unnatural and would use "the right to rally". The example you gave from Bahrain. Perhaps the usage is OK in a local variant there.