Their being received

Posted by Smokey Stover on April 27, 2005

In Reply to: Their being received posted by Steve E on April 27, 2005

: : : : I wonder whether you could help with an argument that has arisen following the posting of an internal e-mail here at work.

: : : : One of our employees has caused a commotion by insisting the following statement contains a grammatical and compositional error in relation to the 'their being received' section of the statement.

: : : : Could you, my learned friends, analyse the statement and let me know if it's correct or incorrect?

: : : : It would also be helpful to explain why it is right or wrong!

: : : : The statement is as follows:-

: : : : "In Neil's case in particular, could you ensure his faxes are taken and handed to him - or left on his desk - within 20 minutes of their being received?"

: : : : Many thanks!

: : : Looks OK to me.
: : Good sentence, actually, clear, grammatical, concise. Why the todo? SS

: Seems OK, but I would have said "within 20 minutes of their receipt"

I have no way of knowing, but it is possible that the complainer thinks the phrase should have been "of their having been received." I would agree with Steve, except that "receipt" might conceivably be misunderstood by someone looking for a piece of paper labeled "Receipt." SS

• Their being received Steve E 28/April/05