To Eke vs Eking 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 eke (Infinitive)

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

Example

I want to eke out a living by working multiple jobs.

Eking (Gerund)

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

Example

Eking out a living can be challenging.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To eke (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To eke out a living requires hard work and determination.

  To eke out a living requires hard work and determination.

  • "*To eke* out a living" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (requires) + noun phrase (hard work and determination).
• 2. Object

  She wants me to eke out a living with her.

  She wants me to eke out a living with her.

  • "Me *to eke* out a living with her" is the object of the verb "wants."
  • Noun (She) + verb (wants) + noun phrase (me *to eke* out a living with her).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  I need extra income to eke out a comfortable lifestyle.

  I need extra income to eke out a comfortable lifestyle.

  • "Extra income *to eke* out a comfortable lifestyle" modifies the noun "income."
  • Noun (I) + verb (need) + noun phrase (extra income *to eke* out a comfortable lifestyle).

Eking (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Eking out a living requires resourcefulness and perseverance.

  Eking out a living requires resourcefulness and perseverance.

  • "*Eking* out a living" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (requires) + noun phrase (resourcefulness and perseverance).
• 2. Object

  I enjoy eking out a living on my own terms.

  I enjoy eking out a living on my own terms.

  • "*Eking* out a living on my own terms" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
  • Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*eking* out a living on my own terms).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She has a knack for eking out a living.

  She has a knack for eking out a living.

  • "For *eking* out a living" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a knack for *eking* out a living).

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
• struggle
• want
• decide
• attempt

Example

They hope to eke out a decent living in the city.

Many people struggle to eke out a living in the gig economy.

He wants to eke out a better life for his family.

We decided to eke out a living by starting our own business.

She attempted to eke out a living through freelance work.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• enjoy
• recommend
• resist
• avoid
• imagine

Example

She enjoys eking out a living through her creative pursuits.

They recommend eking out a living by diversifying income streams.

I resist the temptation of eking out a living through unethical means.

He avoids eking out a living paycheck to paycheck.

Can you imagine yourself eking out a living in a foreign country?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

She likes to eke out a living through entrepreneurship. She likes eking out a living through entrepreneurship.

We started to eke out a living after losing our jobs. We started eking out a living after losing our jobs.

He began to eke out a living by taking on freelance projects. He began eking out a living by taking on freelance projects.