Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[sejpdw]

I don't understand why the writer used "accompaning" in the following passage instead of "accompanied". As far as I know, "accompany" is used as a transitive verb like " The need for office space,etc is accompanied by working in the office." What's your opinion?


" The physical space of the workplace is affected when employees choose to telecommute rather than work the traditional nine-to-five hours in the office. Telecommuting can meet staff needs while, at the same time, reducing the normally-accompanying need for office space, furniture and supplies, parking spaces, etc."

[cgage2]

"normally-accompanying" is very awkward.
use
...reducing the need... (probably the best choice)
or
...reducing the normal need..
or
...reducing the accompanying need...

The term 'accompanying" is a participle acting as an adjective. Sometimes -ing participles are confused with gerunds since they both end in -ing.

Here are a couple of links:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_verbals.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerund