To Graze vs Grazing 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 graze (Infinitive)

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

Example

I want to graze my sheep in the meadow.

Grazing (Gerund)

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

Example

Grazing is an important part of livestock farming.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To graze (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To graze is the natural behavior of cows.

  To graze is the natural behavior of cows.

  • "*To graze*" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (the natural behavior of cows).
• 2. Object

  She wants me to graze the cattle in the field.

  She wants me to graze the cattle in the field.

  • "Me *to graze* the cattle in the field" is the object of the verb "wants."
  • Noun (She) + verb (wants) + noun phrase (me *to graze* the cattle in the field).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  We need a large pasture to graze our animals.

  We need a large pasture to graze our animals.

  • "*To graze* our animals" modifies the noun "pasture."
  • Noun (We) + verb (need) + noun phrase (a large pasture *to graze* our animals).

Grazing (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Grazing helps maintain the health of the animals.

  Grazing helps maintain the health of the animals.

  • "*Grazing*" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (helps) + noun phrase (maintain the health of the animals).
• 2. Object

  I enjoy grazing my cattle in the field.

  I enjoy grazing my cattle in the field.

  • "*Grazing* my cattle in the field" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
  • Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*grazing* my cattle in the field).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She has a passion for grazing her sheep.

  She has a passion for grazing her sheep.

  • "For *grazing* her sheep" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a passion for *grazing* her sheep).

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 graze their horses on the new land.

I hope to graze my goats on fresh grass.

He wants to graze the sheep in the green pasture.

We decided to graze the cows in the valley.

They agreed to graze the animals together.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• enjoy
• recommend
• dislike
• avoid
• imagine

Example

He enjoys grazing his animals in the open fields.

They recommend regular grazing for healthy livestock.

I dislike the idea of grazing animals in confined spaces.

She avoids grazing her cattle near poisonous plants.

Can you imagine yourself grazing goats on a hillside?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

They like to graze their horses in the pasture. They like grazing their horses in the pasture.

We started to graze our cattle on the new farm. We started grazing our cattle on the new farm.

He began to graze his sheep in the meadow. He began grazing his sheep in the meadow.