Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[mings]

Please help me. Are they the same meaning?

1. He was delighted that he had passed the examination.
2. He was delighted about having passed the examination.
3. He was delighted about his passing the examination.

Thanks a lot.

[tri]

yep

[mings]

Are there any difference between number 2 and number 3?
Please help. Thanks.

[admiral]

A question: Doesn't 3 sound like: "He was delighted about himself passing the examination"?

Maybe I'm wrong...

[bud]

Admiral, it is technically possible that #1 and #3 are referring to two people. It's unlikely, though, as it is poor style. The listener/reader would only know through context which pronoun referred to which guy. It'd be better to switch one of the pronouns to the guy's name to make it clearer.

So most probably all three sentences refer to one person. And all three are expressing that he was delighted about himself having passed the examination. That's not unusal, is it?

They're all the same, Mings. Good work!

[mings]

It's clear now. Thank you, Tri, Admiral and bud very much.