To Omit vs Omitting 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 omit (Infinitive)

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

Example

I promise to omit any sensitive information from the report.

Omitting (Gerund)

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

Example

Omitting irrelevant information is crucial for clarity.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To omit (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To omit certain details is necessary for confidentiality.

  To omit certain details is necessary for confidentiality.

  • "*To omit* certain details" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + adjective phrase (necessary for confidentiality).
• 2. Object

  She wants me to omit that paragraph from the document.

  She wants me to omit that paragraph from the document.

  • "Me *to omit* that paragraph from the document" is the object of the verb "wants."
  • Noun (She) + verb (wants) + noun phrase (me *to omit* that paragraph from the document).
• 3. Adverbial Modifier

  He needs more time to carefully omit irrelevant information.

  He needs more time to carefully omit irrelevant information.

  • "*To carefully omit* irrelevant information" modifies the noun "time."
  • Noun (He) + verb (needs) + adverb phrase (more time *to carefully omit* irrelevant information).

Omitting (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Omitting certain details may lead to misunderstanding.

  Omitting certain details may lead to misunderstanding.

  • "*Omitting* certain details" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (may lead) + noun phrase (to misunderstanding).
• 2. Object

  She enjoys omitting unnecessary steps in the process.

  She enjoys omitting unnecessary steps in the process.

  • "*Omitting* unnecessary steps in the process" is the object of the verb "enjoys."
  • Noun (She) + verb (enjoys) + gerund (*omitting* unnecessary steps in the process).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  I have no problem with omitting that part of the story.

  I have no problem with omitting that part of the story.

  • "With *omitting* that part of the story" is the object of the preposition "with."
  • Noun phrase (I) + verb (have) + noun phrase (no problem with *omitting* that part of the story).

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
• decide
• refuse
• demand
• wish

Example

They plan to omit unnecessary details in their presentation.

We decided to omit that section from the final draft.

He refused to omit his name from the credits.

The client demanded to omit all references to competitors.

I wish to omit any controversial statements from the speech.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• avoid
• recommend
• mind
• consider
• imagine

Example

He avoids omitting key details in his reports.

They recommend omitting personal information from online profiles.

Do you mind omitting your address from the form?

We are considering omitting this section for brevity.

Can you imagine omitting such crucial information?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

She would like to omit unnecessary details. She would like omitting unnecessary details.

They started to omit redundant information. They started omitting redundant information.

He began to omit irrelevant data. He began omitting irrelevant data.