Gerund

It's very funny, I actually quarelled - well, not really quarrelled, sort of like arguing, or having a debate - with a British about Grammar.

It happened on a forum. Somebody asked a very simple question - Which one is correct: "I'm looking forward to your coming' or 'I'm looking forward to you coming'?

I said it was the former one, while she insisted it was the latter. She said the formal one didn't make any sense and said 'I'm looking forward to you coming' is the shorter version of 'I'm looking forward to you coming to my house'.

I was taken aback by her answer. Because she's a British, I considered that possibility for a moment.

But then I thought, no, it was wrong!

I asked my father, and he agreed with me. I've searched a few websites, and I even asked a native speaker.

The answer is : "I'm looking forward to your coming".

First of all, this sentence is not a shorter version of any sentence. It tells you everything it wants to tell you; it's a sentence on its own.

"Coming" in the sentence is a gerund, functioning as a noun. It needs to be followed by a possessive.

In "I'm looking forward to your coming', the word 'coming' is a gerund. You need a possessive to complete the sentence. In 'I'm looking forward to you coming to my house', the word 'coming' is actually a verb.

I never thought a British would get this wrong. The native speaker, whom I asked this question to, told me he was sure I would find more 'you coming' then 'your coming' because many people are not aware of this grammar rule, and he's 100% sure, positive, it's 'your coming'.

Apparently, native speakers have problems with this kind of grammar.

But I don't blame them. We are chinese, but how many people know the difference between 需要 and 须要? It's a very commonly used phrase and I highly doubt anyone in my class knows.