To Overboil vs Overboiling 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 overboil (Infinitive)

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

Example

I forgot to overboil the pasta, and it turned out mushy.

Overboiling (Gerund)

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

Example

Overboiling the soup will cause it to lose flavor.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To overboil (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To overboil the vegetables is a common mistake.

  To overboil the vegetables is a common mistake.

  • "*To overboil* the vegetables" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (a common mistake).
• 2. Object

  She asked me to overboil the eggs for ten minutes.

  She asked me to overboil the eggs for ten minutes.

  • "Me *to overboil* the eggs for ten minutes" is the object of the verb "asked."
  • Noun (She) + verb (asked) + noun phrase (me *to overboil* the eggs for ten minutes).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  He needs a timer to overboil the soup.

  He needs a timer to overboil the soup.

  • "*To overboil* the soup" modifies the noun "timer."
  • Noun (He) + verb (needs) + noun phrase (a timer *to overboil* the soup).

Overboiling (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Overboiling is a common mistake when cooking rice.

  Overboiling is a common mistake when cooking rice.

  • "*Overboiling*" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (a common mistake when cooking rice).
• 2. Object

  I enjoy overboiling the vegetables for a short period of time.

  I enjoy overboiling the vegetables for a short period of time.

  • "*Overboiling* the vegetables for a short period of time" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
  • Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*overboiling* the vegetables for a short period of time).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She has a habit of overboiling her pasta.

  She has a habit of overboiling her pasta.

  • "Of *overboiling* her pasta" is the object of the preposition "of."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a habit of *overboiling* her pasta).

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

• forget
• try
• refuse
• attempt
• wish

Example

I forgot to overboil the rice and it ended up sticky.

She tried to overboil the vegetables to make them softer.

They refused to overboil the meat because they wanted it rare.

He attempted to overboil the eggs to make them easier to peel.

We wish to overboil the pasta for a longer time to make it more tender.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• avoid
• recommend
• consider
• mind
• imagine

Example

He avoids overboiling the eggs by setting a timer.

They recommend not overboiling the soup to preserve its taste.

I am considering overboiling the noodles to make them softer.

Do you mind overboiling the vegetables a little bit?

Can you imagine overboiling the pasta and ruining the dish?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

She likes to overboil the potatoes until they are soft. She likes overboiling the potatoes until they are soft.

We started to overboil the rice to make it stickier. We started overboiling the rice to make it stickier.

He began to overboil the chicken to make it more tender. He began overboiling the chicken to make it more tender.