To Bely vs Belying 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 bely (Infinitive)

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

Example

I don't want my actions to bely my words.

Belying (Gerund)

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

Example

His actions are belying his words.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To bely (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To bely someone's trust is a terrible thing to do.

  To bely someone's trust is a terrible thing to do.

  • "*To bely* someone's trust" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (a terrible thing to do).
• 2. Object

  She expects him to bely her expectations.

  She expects him to bely her expectations.

  • "Him *to bely* her expectations" is the object of the verb "expects."
  • Noun (She) + verb (expects) + noun phrase (him *to bely* her expectations).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  He needs a reliable source to bely the rumors.

  He needs a reliable source to bely the rumors.

  • "A reliable source *to bely* the rumors" modifies the noun "source."
  • Noun (He) + verb (needs) + noun phrase (a reliable source *to bely* the rumors).

Belying (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Belying his calm exterior, he was actually quite nervous.

  Belying his calm exterior, he was actually quite nervous.

  • "*Belying* his calm exterior" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (was) + adjective phrase (actually quite nervous).
• 2. Object

  I can't stand belying my true self.

  I can't stand belying my true self.

  • "*Belying* my true self" is the object of the verb "can't stand."
  • Noun (I) + verb (can't stand) + gerund (*belying* my true self).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She has a knack for belying people's expectations.

  She has a knack for belying people's expectations.

  • "For *belying* people's expectations" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a knack for *belying* people's expectations).

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

• refuse
• pretend
• wish
• determine
• demand

Example

They refused to bely their principles for personal gain.

She pretended to bely her true feelings about the situation.

I wish to bely the negative stereotypes associated with my profession.

We determined to bely the critics by achieving great success.

They demand to bely the accusations made against them.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• consider
• recommend
• resist
• anticipate
• understand

Example

They are considering belying their previous statements.

Experts recommend belying stereotypes through positive actions.

I am trying to resist belying my own beliefs.

I anticipate belying the doubts of others with my performance.

We understand the importance of not belying our promises.

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• begin
• stop

Example

She likes to bely her competitors' expectations. She likes belying her competitors' expectations.

He began to bely his doubters with his success. He began belying his doubters with his success.

We should stop to bely ourselves and start believing in our abilities. We should stop belying ourselves and start believing in our abilities.