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 the success of this project.

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 the safety of our employees is our top priority.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To ensure (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To ensure is our top priority.

  To ensure is our top priority.

  • "*To ensure*" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (our top priority).
• 2. Object

  She wants me to ensure the safety of the participants.

  She wants me to ensure the safety of the participants.

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

  We need a reliable system to ensure smooth operations.

  We need a reliable system to ensure smooth operations.

  • "*To ensure* smooth operations" modifies the noun "system."
  • Noun (We) + verb (need) + noun phrase (a reliable system *to ensure* smooth operations).

Ensuring (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Ensuring compliance with regulations is essential for our company.

  Ensuring compliance with regulations is essential for our company.

  • "*Ensuring*" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (compliance with regulations).
• 2. Object

  I enjoy ensuring customer satisfaction through excellent service.

  I enjoy ensuring customer satisfaction through excellent service.

  • "*Ensuring* customer satisfaction through excellent service" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
  • Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*ensuring* customer satisfaction through excellent service).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She has a passion for ensuring the success of her team.

  She has a passion for ensuring the success of her team.

  • "For *ensuring* the success of her team" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a passion for *ensuring* the success of her team).

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 quality of their products.

He hopes to ensure customer satisfaction with excellent service.

We want to ensure the success of our new business venture.

She decided to ensure the safety of her employees.

They agreed to ensure equal opportunities for everyone.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• enjoy
• recommend
• avoid
• consider
• imagine

Example

They enjoy ensuring the quality of their products.

We recommend regularly ensuring the accuracy of data.

He avoids ensuring the completion of unnecessary tasks.

I am considering ensuring the availability of resources.

Can you imagine yourself ensuring the satisfaction of your customers?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

She likes to ensure that everything is in order. She likes ensuring that everything is in order.

We started to ensure the smooth running of the event. We started ensuring the smooth running of the event.

He began to ensure the accuracy of the data. He began ensuring the accuracy of the data.