To Compensate vs Compensating 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 compensate (Infinitive)

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

Example

I promise to compensate you for the damages.

Compensating (Gerund)

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

Example

Compensating the victims is crucial in this situation.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To compensate (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To compensate is the company's responsibility.

  To compensate is the company's responsibility.

  • "*To compensate*" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (the company's responsibility).
• 2. Object

  He wants me to compensate him for the loss.

  He wants me to compensate him for the loss.

  • "Me *to compensate* him for the loss" is the object of the verb "wants."
  • Noun (He) + verb (wants) + noun phrase (me *to compensate* him for the loss).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  We need a solution to compensate for the mistake.

  We need a solution to compensate for the mistake.

  • "*To compensate* for the mistake" modifies the noun "solution."
  • Noun (We) + verb (need) + noun phrase (a solution *to compensate* for the mistake).

Compensating (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Compensating the customers is the company's top priority.

  Compensating the customers is the company's top priority.

  • "*Compensating*" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (the company's top priority).
• 2. Object

  She enjoys compensating her employees with bonuses.

  She enjoys compensating her employees with bonuses.

  • "*Compensating* her employees with bonuses" is the object of the verb "enjoys."
  • Noun (She) + verb (enjoys) + gerund (*compensating* her employees with bonuses).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  They are considering options for compensating the injured party.

  They are considering options for compensating the injured party.

  • "For *compensating* the injured party" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (They) + verb (are considering) + noun phrase (options for *compensating* the injured party).

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
• demand
• refuse
• attempt
• choose

Example

They plan to compensate the affected employees for their overtime work.

The workers are demanding the company to compensate them for the hazardous working conditions.

She refused to compensate him for the damaged property.

He attempted to compensate for his mistake by offering an apology.

We can choose to compensate them in cash or with store credit.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• recommend
• avoid
• delay
• deny
• imagine

Example

Experts recommend compensating the affected residents for the inconvenience caused by the construction project.

The company wants to avoid compensating the customers for their dissatisfaction.

They decided to delay compensating the employees until next month.

The insurance company denied compensating the policyholder for the damage.

Can you imagine compensating the victims of the natural disaster?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

She would like to compensate the workers for their extra hours. She would like compensating the workers for their extra hours.

We started to compensate the affected customers immediately. We started compensating the affected customers immediately.

He began to compensate the injured party for their medical expenses. He began compensating the injured party for their medical expenses.