To Castigate vs Castigating 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 castigate (Infinitive)

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

Example

The teacher threatened to castigate the students if they didn't complete their assignments.

Castigating (Gerund)

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

Example

Castigating others only leads to resentment and hostility.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To castigate (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To castigate is not an effective method of discipline.

  To castigate is not an effective method of discipline.

  • "*To castigate*" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (not an effective method of discipline).
• 2. Object

  He asked her to castigate him for his mistake.

  He asked her to castigate him for his mistake.

  • "Her *to castigate* him for his mistake" is the object of the verb "asked."
  • Noun (He) + verb (asked) + noun phrase (her *to castigate* him for his mistake).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  She needs a reason to castigate the employees.

  She needs a reason to castigate the employees.

  • "*To castigate* the employees" modifies the noun "reason."
  • Noun (She) + verb (needs) + noun phrase (a reason *to castigate* the employees).

Castigating (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Castigating employees can create a negative work environment.

  Castigating employees can create a negative work environment.

  • "*Castigating* employees" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (can create) + noun phrase (a negative work environment).
• 2. Object

  I dislike castigating my friends for their choices.

  I dislike castigating my friends for their choices.

  • "*Castigating* my friends for their choices" is the object of the verb "dislike."
  • Noun (I) + verb (dislike) + gerund (*castigating* my friends for their choices).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She apologized for castigating her colleagues.

  She apologized for castigating her colleagues.

  • "For *castigating* her colleagues" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (apologized) + noun phrase (for *castigating* her colleagues).

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

• demand
• refuse
• attempt
• wish
• pretend

Example

The boss demanded to castigate the negligent employees.

They refused to castigate their children for their mistakes.

She attempted to castigate him for his rude behavior.

He wished to castigate the person who stole his wallet.

They pretended to castigate each other for fun.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• avoid
• consider
• recommend
• mind
• discuss

Example

He avoids castigating his subordinates in public.

We are considering castigating the team for their poor performance.

They recommend against castigating employees for minor mistakes.

Do you mind castigating yourself for your failures?

Let's discuss the consequences of castigating students in class.

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

She doesn't like to castigate her students. She doesn't like castigating her students.

They started to castigate each other during the argument. They started castigating each other during the argument.

He began to castigate himself for his mistakes. He began castigating himself for his mistakes.