Dear Gordon,

Yes, the phrase beginning the sentence is indeed a gerund phrase, and a
passive voice gerund phrase at that.  It functions as the subject of the
sentence, and your analysis of the complements is also correct.  "Him" is
the direct objcet, and "What he had longed to be for years" is a noun
clause used as the objective complement, renaming the direct object.

JVB

At 01:52 PM 7/1/98 -0500, you wrote:
>One of my students posed the sentence, "Being crowned king made him what
>he had longed to be for years." I see 'what he had longed to be for
>years' as a Noun Clause acting as Object/Objective Complement to Direct
>Object 'him,' but I am having problems with deciding what the function
>of 'Being crowned king' would be titled. Gerund phrase acting as
>subject? Having problems with that, as that begs what is 'crowned'?  Any
>suggestions/insights? I appreciate your comments.
>Gordon
>
>Gordon Carmichael
>
James Vanden Bosch              (616) 957-6592
Department of English           [log in to unmask]
Calvin College                  fax: (616) 957-8508
Grand Rapids, MI 49546          http://www.calvin.edu/~vand
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