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 a smooth discussion.

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 collaboration among team members is crucial for project success.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To facilitate (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To facilitate is his primary role in the project.

  To facilitate is his primary role in the project.

  • "*To facilitate*" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (his primary role in the 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 effective communication.

  We need a spacious room to facilitate effective communication.

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

Facilitating (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Facilitating teamwork is her passion.

  Facilitating teamwork is her passion.

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

  I enjoy facilitating workshops for professional development.

  I enjoy facilitating workshops for professional development.

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

  She has a talent for facilitating effective communication.

  She has a talent for facilitating effective communication.

  • "For *facilitating* effective communication" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a talent for *facilitating* effective communication).

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 training session next week.

I hope to facilitate a productive discussion during the conference.

He wants to facilitate the negotiation process.

We decided to facilitate the team-building activity.

They agreed to facilitate the workshop together.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• enjoy
• recommend
• avoid
• consider
• imagine

Example

He enjoys facilitating team-building activities.

They recommend facilitating brainstorming sessions for creativity.

She avoids facilitating meetings with uncooperative participants.

We are considering facilitating a workshop on leadership skills.

Can you imagine yourself facilitating a large conference?

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 cross-functional collaboration. We started facilitating cross-functional collaboration.

He began to facilitate conflict resolution sessions. He began facilitating conflict resolution sessions.