To Berate vs Berating 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 berate (Infinitive)

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

Example

She refused to berate her employees for their mistakes.

Berating (Gerund)

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

Example

Berating others is not a productive way to communicate.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To berate (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To berate someone in public is disrespectful.

  To berate someone in public is disrespectful.

  • "*To berate* someone in public" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + adjective (disrespectful).
• 2. Object

  He expects me to berate him for his behavior.

  He expects me to berate him for his behavior.

  • "Me *to berate* him for his behavior" is the object of the verb "expects."
  • Noun (He) + verb (expects) + noun phrase (me *to berate* him for his behavior).
• 3. Adverb Modifier

  She tried hard to berate her opponent during the debate.

  She tried hard to berate her opponent during the debate.

  • "*To berate* her opponent during the debate" modifies the verb "tried."
  • Noun (She) + verb (tried) + adverb (hard) + infinitive phrase (to berate* her opponent during the debate).

Berating (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Berating someone in public is considered rude.

  Berating someone in public is considered rude.

  • "*Berating* someone in public" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (is) + adjective (rude).
• 2. Object

  I dislike berating people for their mistakes.

  I dislike berating people for their mistakes.

  • "*Berating* people for their mistakes" is the object of the verb "dislike."
  • Noun (I) + verb (dislike) + gerund (*berating* people for their mistakes).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She received criticism for berating her subordinates.

  She received criticism for berating her subordinates.

  • "For *berating* her subordinates" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (received) + noun phrase (criticism for *berating* her subordinates).

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

• promise
• refuse
• pretend
• choose
• determine

Example

He promised to berate anyone who disrespects him.

They refused to berate their colleagues for their mistakes.

She pretended to berate her friend as a joke.

We chose to berate them for their poor decision-making skills.

He determined to berate his team for their lack of effort.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• avoid
• mind
• recommend
• consider
• postpone

Example

He avoids berating his employees in front of others.

Do you mind berating your friends for their mistakes?

They recommend against berating others in professional settings.

She is considering berating him for his dishonesty.

We postponed berating them until after the meeting.

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

She likes to berate her opponents during debates. She likes berating her opponents during debates.

He started to berate his employees for their poor performance. He started berating his employees for their poor performance.

They began to berate each other for their mistakes. They began berating each other for their mistakes.