To Depend vs Depending 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 depend (Infinitive)

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

Example

I want to depend on myself for success.

Depending (Gerund)

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

Example

Depending on others can be risky.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To depend (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To depend on others is not always a good idea.

  To depend on others is not always a good idea.

  • "*To depend* on others" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (not always a good idea).
• 2. Object

  She wants me to depend on her support.

  She wants me to depend on her support.

  • "Me *to depend* on her support" is the object of the verb "wants."
  • Noun (She) + verb (wants) + noun phrase (me *to depend* on her support).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  I need a reliable source to depend on.

  I need a reliable source to depend on.

  • "*To depend* on" modifies the noun "source."
  • Noun (I) + verb (need) + noun phrase (a reliable source *to depend* on).

Depending (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Depending on luck is not a good strategy.

  Depending on luck is not a good strategy.

  • "*Depending* on luck" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (not a good strategy).
• 2. Object

  I enjoy depending on my friends for support.

  I enjoy depending on my friends for support.

  • "*Depending* on my friends for support" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
  • Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*depending* on my friends for support).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She has a fear of depending on others.

  She has a fear of depending on others.

  • "Of *depending* on others" is the object of the preposition "of."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a fear of *depending* on others).

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
• hope
• want
• decide
• agree

Example

She plans to depend on her savings for retirement.

They hope to depend on each other in times of need.

He wants to depend on his own abilities to achieve success.

We decided to depend on our team's performance.

They agreed to depend on each other's expertise.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• enjoy
• recommend
• dislike
• avoid
• imagine

Example

She enjoys depending on her intuition for decision-making.

They recommend regularly depending on feedback for improvement.

I dislike the idea of depending on others for happiness.

He avoids depending on technology for entertainment.

Can you imagine yourself depending on someone else's approval?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

She likes to depend on her instincts. She likes depending on her instincts.

We started to depend on each other for support. We started depending on each other for support.

He began to depend on his own resources. He began depending on his own resources.