To Justify vs Justifying 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 justify (Infinitive)

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

Example

I need evidence to justify my claim.

Justifying (Gerund)

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

Example

Justifying your actions won't change the outcome.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To justify (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To justify your actions, you must provide valid reasons.

  To justify your actions, you must provide valid reasons.

  • "*To justify* your actions" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (must provide) + noun phrase (valid reasons).
• 2. Object

  She wants me to justify her decision.

  She wants me to justify her decision.

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

  He needs a strong argument to justify his position.

  He needs a strong argument to justify his position.

  • "*To justify* his position" modifies the noun "argument."
  • Noun (He) + verb (needs) + noun phrase (a strong argument *to justify* his position).

Justifying (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Justifying his behavior was difficult.

  Justifying his behavior was difficult.

  • "*Justifying* his behavior" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (was) + adjective (difficult).
• 2. Object

  I enjoy justifying my choices to others.

  I enjoy justifying my choices to others.

  • "*Justifying* my choices to others" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
  • Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*justifying* my choices to others).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She has a talent for justifying her actions.

  She has a talent for justifying her actions.

  • "For *justifying* her actions" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a talent for *justifying* her actions).

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 justify their actions in the report.

I hope to justify my choices in the interview.

We want to justify our proposal with data.

She decided to justify her opinion with examples.

He agreed to justify his behavior to his parents.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• recommend
• consider
• avoid
• imagine
• understand

Example

They recommend justifying your decision with evidence.

I am considering justifying my position in the meeting.

He avoids justifying his mistakes to others.

Can you imagine justifying your actions to a jury?

We understand the importance of justifying our expenses.

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

She likes to justify her choices with logical reasoning. She likes justifying her choices with logical reasoning.

They started to justify their actions after realizing their mistake. They started justifying their actions after realizing their mistake.

He began to justify his behavior by providing explanations. He began justifying his behavior by providing explanations.