To Farm vs Farming 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 farm (Infinitive)

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

Example

I want to farm my own vegetables to have fresh produce.

Farming (Gerund)

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

Example

Farming requires knowledge of agricultural practices.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To farm (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To farm requires hard work and dedication.

  To farm requires hard work and dedication.

  • "*To farm*" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (requires) + noun phrase (hard work and dedication).
• 2. Object

  They want us to farm organic crops.

  They want us to farm organic crops.

  • "Us *to farm* organic crops" is the object of the verb "want."
  • Noun (They) + verb (want) + noun phrase (us *to farm* organic crops).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  We need a large plot to farm all our crops.

  We need a large plot to farm all our crops.

  • "*To farm* all our crops" modifies the noun "plot."
  • Noun (We) + verb (need) + noun phrase (a large plot *to farm* all our crops).

Farming (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Farming is an essential part of our food production system.

  Farming is an essential part of our food production system.

  • "*Farming*" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (an essential part of our food production system).
• 2. Object

  He enjoys farming and being close to nature.

  He enjoys farming and being close to nature.

  • "*Farming* and being close to nature" is the object of the verb "enjoys."
  • Noun (He) + verb (enjoys) + gerund (*farming* and being close to nature).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  We have a passion for farming sustainable crops.

  We have a passion for farming sustainable crops.

  • "For *farming* sustainable crops" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (We) + verb (have) + noun phrase (a passion for *farming* sustainable crops).

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

• decide
• hope
• refuse
• attempt
• manage

Example

She decided to farm organic produce instead of buying it.

He hopes to farm on a large scale in the future.

They refused to farm genetically modified crops.

We attempted to farm exotic fruits, but it was challenging.

She managed to farm despite the difficult weather conditions.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• enjoy
• recommend
• avoid
• consider
• imagine

Example

She enjoys farming her own backyard garden.

Experts recommend organic farming for environmental sustainability.

He avoids conventional farming methods and uses natural alternatives.

They are considering farming as a career option.

Can you imagine yourself farming in a peaceful countryside?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

I would like to farm animals on my own land. I would like farming animals on my own land.

They started to farm organically last year. They started farming organically last year.

He began to farm vegetables in his backyard. He began farming vegetables in his backyard.