请问Always quarrelling led to their marriage breaking up. 中breaking up做什么成分呢?如果是因为跟在led to做动名词的话不应该是their marriage's breaking up吗?
their marriage breaking up 为动名词复合结构做led to的宾语。 their marriage 是动名词 breaking up 的逻辑主语(即意义主语)。
非生物名词或者抽象名词作动名词的逻辑主语(即意义主语)时,不用所有格形式。例如:
We must allow for the train being late.(我们必须考虑火车的延误。)
I am glad of the examination being over.(我很高兴考试结束了。)
I am sure of the news being true.(我确信消息是正确的。)
(以上例句均摘自《刘毅英语语法宝典》)
所以,不能说:... their marriage's breaking up