When and How to Use Each Expression?
Get a sense of when and how each expression can be used through the following examples!To daze (Infinitive)
Purpose or Intention: Use the infinitive "to daze" when you want to express a purpose, intention, desire, or potential action
Example
The bright lights dazed him.
Dazing (Gerund)
Activity or Experience: Use the gerund "dazing" when you want to refer to the activity itself or the experience as a noun.
Example
The bright lights were dazing him.
Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?
To daze (Infinitive)
- 1Subject
To daze someone is not a kind thing to do.
To daze someone is not a kind thing to do.
- "*To daze* someone" serves as the subject of the sentence.
- Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + adjective phrase (not a kind thing to do).
- 2Object
She wants him to daze her with his talent.
She wants him to daze her with his talent.
- "Him *to daze* her with his talent" is the object of the verb "wants."
- Noun (She) + verb (wants) + noun phrase (him *to daze* her with his talent).
- 3Adjective Modifier
He needs sunglasses to daze the bright sunlight.
He needs sunglasses to daze the bright sunlight.
- "*To daze* the bright sunlight" modifies the noun "sunglasses."
- Noun (He) + verb (needs) + noun phrase (sunglasses *to daze* the bright sunlight).
Dazing (Gerund)
- 1Subject
Dazing someone can be overwhelming.
Dazing someone can be overwhelming.
- "*Dazing* someone" is the subject of the sentence.
- Gerund (subject) + verb (can be) + adjective (overwhelming).
- 2Object
I enjoy dazing people with my mind-bending illusions.
I enjoy dazing people with my mind-bending illusions.
- "*Dazing* people with my mind-bending illusions" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
- Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*dazing* people with my mind-bending illusions).
- 3Object of Preposition
She has a talent for dazing the audience.
She has a talent for dazing the audience.
- "For *dazing* the audience" is the object of the preposition "for."
- Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a talent for *dazing* the audience).
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
Example
She tried to daze him with her stunning beauty.
He refused to daze the audience with his magic tricks.
They wished to daze everyone with their extraordinary performance.
We pretended to daze the judges with our dance routine.
The director demanded to daze the viewers with the visual effects.
Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects
Example
He avoids dazing himself with bright lights.
They are considering dazing the audience with their special effects.
I recommend wearing sunglasses to prevent dazing your eyes.
Do you mind me dazing you with my hypnotic powers?
She practices dazing her opponents with her quick reflexes.
Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects
Example
She likes to daze people with her stunning beauty. She likes dazing people with her stunning beauty.
We started to daze the audience with our incredible performance. We started dazing the audience with our incredible performance.
He began to daze everyone with his mind-blowing tricks. He began dazing everyone with his mind-blowing tricks.
