When and How to Use Each Expression?
Get a sense of when and how each expression can be used through the following examples!To parbake (Infinitive)
Purpose or Intention: Use the infinitive "to parbake" when you want to express a purpose, intention, desire, or potential action
Example
I want to parbake the pizza crust before adding toppings.
Parbaking (Gerund)
Activity or Experience: Use the gerund "parbaking" when you want to refer to the activity itself or the experience as a noun.
Example
Parbaking the crust helps prevent it from becoming soggy.
Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?
To parbake (Infinitive)
- 1Subject
To parbake the bread is a common technique in baking.
To parbake the bread is a common technique in baking.
- "*To parbake*" serves as the subject of the sentence.
- Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (a common technique in baking).
- 2Object
She wants me to parbake the cookies for her party.
She wants me to parbake the cookies for her party.
- "Me *to parbake* the cookies for her party" is the object of the verb "wants."
- Noun (She) + verb (wants) + noun phrase (me *to parbake* the cookies for her party).
- 3Adjective Modifier
I need an oven to parbake the pie crust.
I need an oven to parbake the pie crust.
- "*To parbake* the pie crust" modifies the noun "oven."
- Noun (I) + verb (need) + noun phrase (an oven *to parbake* the pie crust).
Parbaking (Gerund)
- 1Subject
Parbaking is a common practice in baking.
Parbaking is a common practice in baking.
- "*Parbaking*" is the subject of the sentence.
- Gerund (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (a common practice in baking).
- 2Object
I enjoy parbaking the cookies for my friends.
I enjoy parbaking the cookies for my friends.
- "*Parbaking* the cookies for my friends" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
- Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*parbaking* the cookies for my friends).
- 3Object of Preposition
She has a talent for parbaking.
She has a talent for parbaking.
- "For *parbaking*" is the object of the preposition "for."
- Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a talent for *parbaking*).
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
Example
She plans to parbake the bread before dinner tonight.
They hope to parbake the pastries for the bakery sale.
He wants to parbake the chicken wings before grilling them.
We decided to parbake the tart shells ahead of time.
They agreed to parbake the pie crust together.
Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects
Example
She enjoys parbaking the pie crust for her homemade pies.
They recommend parbaking the bread for a crispy crust.
I dislike the idea of parbaking the cookies before baking them fully.
He avoids parbaking the pastry dough for too long.
Can you imagine yourself parbaking the cake layers before frosting them?
Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects
Example
She likes to parbake the pizza dough before adding toppings. She likes parbaking the pizza dough before adding toppings.
We started to parbake our own bread at home. We started parbaking our own bread at home.
He began to parbake the pie crusts for his bakery business. He began parbaking the pie crusts for his bakery business.
