To Brief vs Briefing 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 brief (Infinitive)

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

Example

The manager asked me to brief the team on the new project.

Briefing (Gerund)

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

Example

Giving a briefing is an important part of my job.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To brief (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To brief the team is my responsibility.

  To brief the team is my responsibility.

  • "*To brief* the team" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (my responsibility).
• 2. Object

  She wants him to brief her on the details.

  She wants him to brief her on the details.

  • "Him *to brief* her on the details" is the object of the verb "wants."
  • Noun (She) + verb (wants) + noun phrase (him *to brief* her on the details).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  We need a document to brief the clients.

  We need a document to brief the clients.

  • "*To brief* the clients" modifies the noun "document."
  • Noun (We) + verb (need) + noun phrase (a document *to brief* the clients).

Briefing (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Briefing the team is crucial for success.

  Briefing the team is crucial for success.

  • "*Briefing* the team" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (crucial for success).
• 2. Object

  She enjoys giving briefings to the clients.

  She enjoys giving briefings to the clients.

  • "*Giving briefings* to the clients" is the object of the verb "enjoys."
  • Noun (She) + verb (enjoys) + gerund (*giving briefings* to the clients).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  He has a talent for giving briefings.

  He has a talent for giving briefings.

  • "For *giving briefings*" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (He) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a talent for *giving briefings*).

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
• hope
• want
• decide
• agree

Example

They plan to brief the stakeholders next week.

I hope to brief the board of directors soon.

He wants to brief the executives on the progress.

We decided to brief the team before the meeting.

They agreed to brief the employees about the changes.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• enjoy
• recommend
• avoid
• consider
• mind

Example

She enjoys giving briefings to the team members.

They recommend regular briefing for effective communication.

I avoid giving briefings in large groups.

He is considering giving a briefing on the new strategy.

Do you mind giving a briefing to the stakeholders?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

She likes to brief the clients personally. She likes giving briefings to the clients personally.

We started to brief the team every Monday morning. We started giving briefings to the team every Monday morning.

He began to brief the new employees on company policies. He began giving briefings to the new employees on company policies.