His father's being dead made him become a beggar.

[sitifan]

His father's being dead made him become a beggar. (my bold, Ho's Complete English Grammar, page 102)
Is the quoted sentence grammatically correct?
Is it idiomatic?

 

[probus]

The sentence is grammatically sound.

I recall being taught at school seventy years ago to use the possessive in sentences like that one, but nowadays most people would say: his father being dead ...

 

[PeterCW]

It may be technically correct but it sounds totally unnatural to me. A BrE speaker would be most likely to say "his father's death ...."

 

[Skrej]

I agree it's grammatical, but not very natural to me (AmE) either. I'd use 'his father's death' as well, or possibly 'The death of his father'

 

[tedmc]

How about "He became a beggar after his father died/passed away"?
I doubt a parent's death causes one to become a begger.