To Ensure vs Ensuring 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 ensure (Infinitive)

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

Example

I want to ensure that everything is prepared for the meeting.

Ensuring (Gerund)

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

Example

Ensuring customer satisfaction is our top priority.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To ensure (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To ensure success, we must work hard.

  To ensure success, we must work hard.

  • "*To ensure* success" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (must) + verb phrase (work hard).
• 2. Object

  She wants me to ensure the project is completed on time.

  She wants me to ensure the project is completed on time.

  • "Me *to ensure* the project is completed on time" is the object of the verb "wants."
  • Noun (She) + verb (wants) + noun phrase (me *to ensure* the project is completed on time).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  We need a checklist to ensure all tasks are completed.

  We need a checklist to ensure all tasks are completed.

  • "*To ensure* all tasks are completed" modifies the noun "checklist."
  • Noun (We) + verb (need) + noun phrase (a checklist *to ensure* all tasks are completed).

Ensuring (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Ensuring employee well-being is crucial for a productive workplace.

  Ensuring employee well-being is crucial for a productive workplace.

  • "*Ensuring* employee well-being" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (crucial for a productive workplace).
• 2. Object

  I enjoy ensuring the success of my team.

  I enjoy ensuring the success of my team.

  • "*Ensuring* the success of my team" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
  • Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*ensuring* the success of my team).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She has a talent for ensuring smooth operations.

  She has a talent for ensuring smooth operations.

  • "For *ensuring* smooth operations" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a talent for *ensuring* smooth operations).

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

They plan to ensure the event runs smoothly.

I hope to ensure the safety of everyone.

He wants to ensure the quality of the product.

We decided to ensure fairness in the process.

They agreed to ensure equal opportunities for all.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• enjoy
• recommend
• dislike
• avoid
• imagine

Example

They enjoy ensuring customer satisfaction.

I recommend ensuring all necessary precautions are taken.

He dislikes ensuring compliance with regulations.

We avoid ensuring the accuracy of data.

Can you imagine yourself ensuring the success of a project?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

She likes to ensure a smooth workflow. She likes ensuring a smooth workflow.

They started to ensure customer satisfaction. They started ensuring customer satisfaction.

He began to ensure the accuracy of financial reports. He began ensuring the accuracy of financial reports.