To Minimise vs Minimising 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 minimise (Infinitive)

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

Example

I want to minimise my carbon footprint by using public transportation.

Minimising (Gerund)

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

Example

Minimising waste can help protect the environment.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To minimise (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To minimise waste is important for environmental sustainability.

  To minimise waste is important for environmental sustainability.

  • "*To minimise* waste" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (important for environmental sustainability).
• 2. Object

  She encourages her employees to minimise paper usage.

  She encourages her employees to minimise paper usage.

  • "Her employees *to minimise* paper usage" is the object of the verb "encourages."
  • Noun (She) + verb (encourages) + noun phrase (her employees *to minimise* paper usage).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  He needs a strategy to minimise energy consumption.

  He needs a strategy to minimise energy consumption.

  • "*To minimise* energy consumption" modifies the noun "strategy."
  • Noun (He) + verb (needs) + noun phrase (a strategy *to minimise* energy consumption).

Minimising (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Minimising plastic usage is crucial for marine conservation.

  Minimising plastic usage is crucial for marine conservation.

  • "*Minimising* plastic usage" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (crucial for marine conservation).
• 2. Object

  They enjoy minimising their carbon footprint.

  They enjoy minimising their carbon footprint.

  • "*Minimising* their carbon footprint" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
  • Noun (They) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*minimising* their carbon footprint).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She is dedicated to the cause of minimising waste.

  She is dedicated to the cause of minimising waste.

  • "The cause of *minimising* waste" is the object of the preposition "of."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (is) + noun phrase (the cause of *minimising* waste).

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 minimise food waste in their restaurant.

We hope to minimise our expenses next month.

She wants to minimise her impact on the environment.

He decided to minimise his screen time for better productivity.

They agreed to minimise the use of plastic bags in their store.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• enjoy
• recommend
• avoid
• consider
• imagine

Example

He enjoys minimising his ecological impact.

Experts recommend minimising exposure to harmful chemicals.

She avoids minimising the importance of sustainable living.

They are considering minimising their reliance on fossil fuels.

Can you imagine yourself minimising your waste production?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

I would like to minimise my use of single-use plastics. I would like minimising my use of single-use plastics.

We started to minimise water consumption at home. We started minimising water consumption at home.

He began to minimise his carbon emissions. He began minimising his carbon emissions.