NOTE VII.—­A participle should not be used where the infinitive mood, the verbal noun, a common substantive, or a phrase equivalent, will better express the meaning.  Examples:  1.  “But placing an accent on the second syllable of these words, would entirely derange them.”—­Murray’s Gram., Vol. i, p. 239.  Say rather, “But, to place an accent—­But the placing of an accent—­or, But an accent placed on the second syllable of these words, would entirely derange them.” 2.  “To require their being in that case.”—­Ib., Vol. ii, p. 21.  Say, “To require them to be in that case.” 3.  “She regrets not having read it.”—­West’s Letters, p. 216.  Say, “She regrets that she has not read it.”  Or, “She does not regret that she has read it.”  For the text is equivocal, and admits either of these senses.

NOTE VIII.—­A participle used for a nominative after be, is, was, &c., produces a construction which is more naturally understood to be a compound form of the verb; and which is therefore not well adapted to the sense intended, when one tells what something is, was, or may be.  Examples:  1.  “Whose business is shoeing animals.”—­O.  B. Peirce’s Gram., p. 365.  Say, “Whose business it is, to shoe animals;”—­or, “Whose business is the shoeing of animals.” 2.  “This was in fact converting the deposite to his own use.”—­Murray’s Key, ii, p. 200.  Say rather, “This was in fact a converting of the deposite to his own use.”—­Ib.

NOTE IX.—­Verbs of preventing should be made to govern, not the participle in ing, nor what are called substantive phrases, but the objective case of a noun or pronoun; and if a participle follow, it ought to be governed by the preposition from:  as, “But the admiration due to so eminent a poet, must not prevent us from remarking some other particulars in which he has failed.”—­Blair’s Rhet., p. 438.  Examples of error:  1.  “I endeavoured to prevent letting him escape”—­Ingersoll’s Gram., p. 150.  Say,—­“to prevent his escape.” 2.  “To prevent its being connected with the nearest noun.”—­Churchill’s Gram., p. 367.  Say, “To prevent it from being connected,” &c. 3.  “To prevent it bursting out with open violence.”—­Robertson’s America, Vol. ii, p. 146.  Say, “To prevent it from bursting out,” &c. 4.  “To prevent their injuring or murdering of others.”—­Brown’s Divinity, p. 26.  Say rather, “To prevent them from injuring or murdering others.”