同不定式类似，动名词也是动词的一种变化形式，既然是动词就应该有动作的执行者，即主语。而句子主语和动名词的动作执行者并不总是统一的（有时是一样的，有时不一样），所以我们把动名词的主语称为逻辑主语，以区别于句子主语。
（1）动名词复合结构的构成：my doing/Tom's doing
物主代词（如his，my，your等）或所有格名词（如Mary's，Tom's等）与动名词连用，即构成动名词的复合结构（如his doing，Mary's doing），用来引出动名词的逻辑主语。当句子主语并不是动名词动作的执行者时，我们就需要给出动名词的逻辑主语。请比较：

 
（2）动名词复合结构的用法
这种结构常在句中作主语或宾语。请看例句：
1）用作主语
Tom's coming home at last was a great consolation.
2）用作动词宾语
a.Do you mind my making a suggestion?
b.Would you mind Tom's telling us the whole story?
3）用作介词宾语
a.Our discussion of earthquakes would be incomplete if we didn't raise the possibility of their being caused by external forces.
要是我们没有考虑到外部力量造成地震的可能性，那么我们对于地震的研究还有欠缺。
b.Clint insisted on my reading the letter.
c.What are the chances of a sleepwalker's committing a murder or doing omething else extraordinary in his sleep?
梦游者在睡梦中实施谋杀或做出其他一些超常活动的可能性有多大呢？
d.When I was a child, I would take a flashlight to bed with me so that I could read comic books without my parents' knowing about it.
（3）普通格还是所有格？
在应用动名词复合结构时，什么时候用普通格什么时候用所有格，一般遵循下面的原则：
1）若动名词复合结构在句中作主语，最好用所有格形式。
a. Tom's refusing to accept the invitation upset me.
b. His refusing to accept the invitation upset me.（不宜用him refusing）
c.It was a great consolation his coming home at last.（不宜用him coming）
2）动名词复合结构在句中作宾语时，用普通格或所有格均可。
a.Do you mind me making a suggestion?
b.I am annoyed about John forgetting to pay.
c.I remember_________to help us if we ever got into trouble.
A. once offering
B. him once offering
C. him to offer
D. to offer him
正确答案：B。
3）若动名词的逻辑主语是无生命的“物”而不是“人”，最好用普通格。
a.The noise of the desks being opened and closed can be heard out in the street.
b.There is a necessity for this type of houses being built .
c.In the event of the project not being a success , the investors stand to lose up to $30 million.
万一这个项目投资失败，投资者将会损失三千万美元。
4）若动名词的逻辑主语是不定代词（如someone，anyone，everyone等），最好用普通格。
He was awakened by someone knocking on the door.
5）若动名词的逻辑主语由较长的一组词构成，最好用普通格。
a.There is no point any one of us arguing with him.
b.I've always had in my mind a dream of my father , mother and I living together.
c.Do you remember John and his father coming to see us last Christmas?