To Field vs Fielding 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 field (Infinitive)

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

Example

I want to field the ball to make a successful play.

Fielding (Gerund)

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

Example

Fielding requires good reflexes and coordination.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To field (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To field is an important skill in baseball.

  To field is an important skill in baseball.

  • "*To field*" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (an important skill in baseball).
• 2. Object

  He wants me to field the grounders during practice.

  He wants me to field the grounders during practice.

  • "Me *to field* the grounders during practice" is the object of the verb "wants."
  • Noun (He) + verb (wants) + noun phrase (me *to field* the grounders during practice).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  They need a good glove to field the ball effectively.

  They need a good glove to field the ball effectively.

  • "*To field* the ball effectively" modifies the noun "glove."
  • Noun (They) + verb (need) + noun phrase (a good glove *to field* the ball effectively).

Fielding (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Fielding is a crucial aspect of the game.

  Fielding is a crucial aspect of the game.

  • "*Fielding*" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (a crucial aspect of the game).
• 2. Object

  She enjoys fielding ground balls during practice.

  She enjoys fielding ground balls during practice.

  • "*Fielding* ground balls during practice" is the object of the verb "enjoys."
  • Noun (She) + verb (enjoys) + gerund (*fielding* ground balls during practice).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  He has a talent for fielding difficult plays.

  He has a talent for fielding difficult plays.

  • "For *fielding* difficult plays" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (He) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a talent for *fielding* difficult plays).

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

She plans to field at first base in the next game.

I hope to field the fly ball without any errors.

He wants to field in the outfield for the entire game.

We decided to field at third base this season.

They agreed to field as a team and communicate well.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• enjoy
• recommend
• dislike
• avoid
• imagine

Example

They enjoy fielding pop flies during warm-up.

Coaches recommend regular fielding drills for improvement.

I dislike the pressure of fielding in high-stakes games.

He avoids fielding grounders on wet grass.

Can you imagine yourself fielding a line drive?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

She likes to field ground balls at shortstop. She likes fielding ground balls at shortstop.

We started to field professionally last year. We started fielding professionally last year.

He began to field with a new technique. He began fielding with a new technique.