To Grant vs Granting 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 grant (Infinitive)

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

Example

I promise to grant your request.

Granting (Gerund)

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

Example

Granting his request was the right thing to do.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To grant (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To grant his wish would bring him great joy.

  To grant his wish would bring him great joy.

  • "*To grant* his wish" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (would bring) + noun phrase (him great joy).
• 2. Object

  She wants me to grant her permission.

  She wants me to grant her permission.

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

  We need a permit to grant access to the building.

  We need a permit to grant access to the building.

  • "*To grant* access to the building" modifies the noun "permit."
  • Noun (We) + verb (need) + noun phrase (a permit *to grant* access to the building).

Granting (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Granting their wishes brought them happiness.

  Granting their wishes brought them happiness.

  • "*Granting* their wishes" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (brought) + noun phrase (them happiness).
• 2. Object

  She enjoys granting favors to others.

  She enjoys granting favors to others.

  • "*Granting* favors to others" is the object of the verb "enjoys."
  • Noun (She) + verb (enjoys) + gerund (*granting* favors to others).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  We had a discussion about the pros and cons of granting their request.

  We had a discussion about the pros and cons of granting their request.

  • "About the pros and cons of *granting* their request" is the object of the preposition "about."
  • Noun phrase (We) + verb (had) + noun phrase (a discussion about the pros and cons of *granting* their request).

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

• agree
• refuse
• decide
• attempt
• plan

Example

They agreed to grant him the scholarship.

He refused to grant her request.

We decided to grant them permission to proceed.

She attempted to grant his wish but failed.

I plan to grant your request as soon as possible.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• recommend
• avoid
• consider
• postpone
• imagine

Example

They recommend granting more scholarships to deserving students.

He avoids granting special privileges to certain individuals.

We are considering granting your proposal.

She postponed granting their request until further notice.

Can you imagine granting them unlimited power?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

I would like to grant you this opportunity. I would like granting you this opportunity.

We started to grant scholarships to underprivileged students. We started granting scholarships to underprivileged students.

He began to grant wishes to children in need. He began granting wishes to children in need.