To Confirm vs Confirming 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 confirm (Infinitive)

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

Example

I want to confirm my reservation for the hotel.

Confirming (Gerund)

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

Example

Confirming the information is crucial before proceeding.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To confirm (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To confirm is essential before making any arrangements.

  To confirm is essential before making any arrangements.

  • "*To confirm*" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + adjective (essential).
• 2. Object

  She asked him to confirm his attendance at the meeting.

  She asked him to confirm his attendance at the meeting.

  • "Him *to confirm* his attendance at the meeting" is the object of the verb "asked."
  • Noun (She) + verb (asked) + noun phrase (him *to confirm* his attendance at the meeting).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  I need a phone call to confirm the details.

  I need a phone call to confirm the details.

  • "*To confirm* the details" modifies the noun "phone call."
  • Noun (I) + verb (need) + noun phrase (a phone call *to confirm* the details).

Confirming (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Confirming the details is part of the process.

  Confirming the details is part of the process.

  • "*Confirming* the details" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (part of the process).
• 2. Object

  She enjoys confirming her findings through experiments.

  She enjoys confirming her findings through experiments.

  • "*Confirming* her findings through experiments" is the object of the verb "enjoys."
  • Noun (She) + verb (enjoys) + gerund (*confirming* her findings through experiments).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  He had doubts about confirming the decision.

  He had doubts about confirming the decision.

  • "About *confirming* the decision" is the object of the preposition "about."
  • Noun phrase (He) + verb (had) + noun phrase (doubts about *confirming* the decision).

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

• decide
• offer
• plan
• promise
• hope

Example

They decided to confirm their travel plans.

The company offered to confirm the appointment in writing.

We plan to confirm the delivery date.

He promised to confirm his availability by tomorrow.

I hope to confirm my reservation soon.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• recommend
• avoid
• consider
• postpone
• mind

Example

They recommend confirming the reservation in advance.

I avoid confirming sensitive information over email.

She is considering confirming her attendance at the event.

They decided to postpone confirming the final numbers.

He doesn't mind confirming the details multiple times.

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

I would like to confirm the appointment. I would like confirming the appointment.

We started to confirm the accuracy of the data. We started confirming the accuracy of the data.

She began to confirm the reservation details. She began confirming the reservation details.