To Precess vs Precessing 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 precess (Infinitive)

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

Example

I want to precess the data to analyze it more effectively.

Precessing (Gerund)

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

Example

Precessing the data is an essential step in the analysis process.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To precess (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To precess the material requires specialized equipment.

  To precess the material requires specialized equipment.

  • "*To precess* the material" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (requires) + noun phrase (specialized equipment).
• 2. Object

  She wants me to precess the samples for her experiment.

  She wants me to precess the samples for her experiment.

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

  We need a machine to precess the raw materials.

  We need a machine to precess the raw materials.

  • "*To precess* the raw materials" modifies the noun "machine."
  • Noun (We) + verb (need) + noun phrase (a machine *to precess* the raw materials).

Precessing (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Precessing the material requires attention to detail.

  Precessing the material requires attention to detail.

  • "*Precessing* the material" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (requires) + noun phrase (attention to detail).
• 2. Object

  I enjoy precessing the samples in the lab.

  I enjoy precessing the samples in the lab.

  • "*Precessing* the samples in the lab" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
  • Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*precessing* the samples in the lab).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She has a talent for precessing data quickly.

  She has a talent for precessing data quickly.

  • "For *precessing* data quickly" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a talent for *precessing* data quickly).

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 precess the data tomorrow.

He hopes to precess the information before the meeting.

She wants to precess the documents by the end of the day.

We decided to precess the samples using a different method.

They agreed to precess the data together.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• enjoy
• recommend
• dislike
• avoid
• imagine

Example

He enjoys precessing the data to uncover patterns.

They recommend regular precessing for accurate results.

I dislike the task of precessing large datasets.

She avoids precessing sensitive information without proper authorization.

Can you imagine yourself precessing complex algorithms?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

I like to precess the data using advanced techniques. I like precessing the data using advanced techniques.

They started to precess the samples yesterday. They started precessing the samples yesterday.

We began to precess the information last week. We began precessing the information last week.