To Facilitate vs Facilitating 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 facilitate (Infinitive)

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

Example

I want to facilitate the meeting to ensure smooth communication.

Facilitating (Gerund)

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

Example

Facilitating teamwork is essential for project success.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To facilitate (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To facilitate is his main responsibility in this project.

  To facilitate is his main responsibility in this project.

  • "*To facilitate*" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (his main responsibility in this project).
• 2. Object

  She wants me to facilitate the workshop.

  She wants me to facilitate the workshop.

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

  We need a spacious room to facilitate the training sessions.

  We need a spacious room to facilitate the training sessions.

  • "*To facilitate* the training sessions" modifies the noun "room."
  • Noun (We) + verb (need) + noun phrase (a spacious room *to facilitate* the training sessions).

Facilitating (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Facilitating effective communication is her strength.

  Facilitating effective communication is her strength.

  • "*Facilitating*" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (her strength).
• 2. Object

  I enjoy facilitating workshops and trainings.

  I enjoy facilitating workshops and trainings.

  • "*Facilitating* workshops and trainings" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
  • Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*facilitating* workshops and trainings).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  They are responsible for facilitating team building activities.

  They are responsible for facilitating team building activities.

  • "*Facilitating* team building activities" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (They) + verb (are responsible for) + noun phrase (*facilitating* team building activities).

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 facilitate the discussion among team members.

He hopes to facilitate a productive brainstorming session.

She wants to facilitate effective collaboration between departments.

We decided to facilitate the decision-making process.

They agreed to facilitate the implementation of new policies.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• enjoy
• recommend
• avoid
• imagine
• consider

Example

He enjoys facilitating group discussions and problem-solving sessions.

We recommend facilitating regular team meetings for effective coordination.

She avoids facilitating conflicts and misunderstandings.

Can you imagine yourself facilitating workshops for a large audience?

They are considering facilitating a leadership development program.

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

She likes to facilitate effective communication within the team. She likes facilitating effective communication within the team.

We started to facilitate virtual meetings for remote teams. We started facilitating virtual meetings for remote teams.

He began to facilitate workshops on conflict resolution. He began facilitating workshops on conflict resolution.