To Badger vs Badgering Infinitives & Gerunds

When and How to Use Each Expression?

Get a sense of when and how each expression can be used through the following examples!

To badger (Infinitive)

Purpose or Intention: Use the infinitive "to badger" when you want to express a purpose, intention, desire, or potential action

Example

I refuse to badger my friends for favors.

Badgering (Gerund)

Activity or Experience: Use the gerund "badgering" when you want to refer to the activity itself or the experience as a noun.

Example

Badgering your friends is not a good way to maintain relationships.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To badger (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To badger someone is not a good way to get what you want.

  To badger someone is not a good way to get what you want.

  • "*To badger* someone" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (not a good way to get what you want).
• 2. Object

  She wants me to badger our boss for a raise.

  She wants me to badger our boss for a raise.

  • "Me *to badger* our boss for a raise" is the object of the verb "wants."
  • Noun (She) + verb (wants) + noun phrase (me *to badger* our boss for a raise).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  He needs a reason to badger his colleagues.

  He needs a reason to badger his colleagues.

  • "*To badger* his colleagues" modifies the noun "reason."
  • Noun (He) + verb (needs) + noun phrase (a reason *to badger* his colleagues).

Badgering (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Badgering others can lead to strained relationships.

  Badgering others can lead to strained relationships.

  • "*Badgering* others" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (can lead to) + noun phrase (strained relationships).
• 2. Object

  I enjoy badgering my siblings for fun.

  I enjoy badgering my siblings for fun.

  • "*Badgering* my siblings for fun" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
  • Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*badgering* my siblings for fun).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She has a talent for badgering people into buying things.

  She has a talent for badgering people into buying things.

  • "For *badgering* people into buying things" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a talent for *badgering* people into buying things).

Verbs Taking Infinitives/Gerunds as Objects

The following are verbs that can take only the base form of the verb (infinitive), only the -ing form (gerund), or both.

Verbs Taking Infinitives as Objects

• plan
• refuse
• wish
• pretend
• attempt

Example

They plan to badger their parents for a new phone.

I refuse to badger my employees for overtime.

She wishes to badger her teacher for a better grade.

He pretends to badger his siblings for fun.

We attempted to badger the customer for a sale.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• avoid
• recommend
• deny
• imagine
• understand

Example

They avoid badgering their customers for feedback.

I recommend badgering your boss for a promotion.

He denies badgering his classmates for answers.

Can you imagine badgering someone for help?

I understand the frustration of badgering others for favors.

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

She likes to badger her siblings for attention. She likes badgering her siblings for attention.

They started to badger their parents for a new toy. They started badgering their parents for a new toy.

He began to badger his friends for favors. He began badgering his friends for favors.