To Confess vs Confessing 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 confess (Infinitive)

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

Example

I promise to confess my feelings to her.

Confessing (Gerund)

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

Example

Confessing can be a cathartic experience.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To confess (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To confess is a difficult thing to do.

  To confess is a difficult thing to do.

  • "*To confess*" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (a difficult thing to do).
• 2. Object

  He wants me to confess everything.

  He wants me to confess everything.

  • "Me *to confess* everything" is the object of the verb "wants."
  • Noun (He) + verb (wants) + noun phrase (me *to confess* everything).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  She needs a safe space to confess her secrets.

  She needs a safe space to confess her secrets.

  • "*To confess* her secrets" modifies the noun "space."
  • Noun (She) + verb (needs) + noun phrase (a safe space *to confess* her secrets).

Confessing (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Confessing your mistakes is important for personal growth.

  Confessing your mistakes is important for personal growth.

  • "*Confessing* your mistakes" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (important for personal growth).
• 2. Object

  I enjoy confessing my deepest thoughts to a close friend.

  I enjoy confessing my deepest thoughts to a close friend.

  • "*Confessing* my deepest thoughts to a close friend" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
  • Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*confessing* my deepest thoughts to a close friend).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She has a fear of confessing her past actions.

  She has a fear of confessing her past actions.

  • "Of *confessing* her past actions" is the object of the preposition "of."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a fear of *confessing* her past actions).

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

• hope
• want
• choose
• attempt
• pretend

Example

They hope to confess their mistakes and seek forgiveness.

She wants to confess her love for him.

We chose to confess our sins in front of the priest.

He attempted to confess his involvement in the crime.

They pretended to confess their guilt to avoid punishment.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• avoid
• consider
• recommend
• delay
• imagine

Example

He avoids confessing his mistakes out of fear of judgment.

They are considering confessing their involvement in the incident.

I recommend confessing your true feelings to him.

She delayed confessing her secret until the right moment.

Can you imagine yourself confessing your deepest secrets to a stranger?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

She likes to confess her sins to a priest. She likes confessing her sins to a priest.

We started to confess our mistakes and seek forgiveness. We started confessing our mistakes and seeking forgiveness.

He began to confess his wrongdoings to his family. He began confessing his wrongdoings to his family.