To Predict vs Predicting 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 predict (Infinitive)

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

Example

I want to predict the outcome of the game.

Predicting (Gerund)

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

Example

Predicting the stock market is risky.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To predict (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To predict is a challenging task.

  To predict is a challenging task.

  • "*To predict*" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (a challenging task).
• 2. Object

  She wants me to predict the future.

  She wants me to predict the future.

  • "Me *to predict* the future" is the object of the verb "wants."
  • Noun (She) + verb (wants) + noun phrase (me *to predict* the future).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  We need a reliable method to predict the weather.

  We need a reliable method to predict the weather.

  • "*To predict* the weather" modifies the noun "method."
  • Noun (We) + verb (need) + noun phrase (a reliable method *to predict* the weather).

Predicting (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Predicting requires careful analysis.

  Predicting requires careful analysis.

  • "*Predicting*" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (requires) + noun phrase (careful analysis).
• 2. Object

  I enjoy predicting the outcomes of sporting events.

  I enjoy predicting the outcomes of sporting events.

  • "*Predicting* the outcomes of sporting events" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
  • Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*predicting* the outcomes of sporting events).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  He has a talent for predicting future trends.

  He has a talent for predicting future trends.

  • "For *predicting* future trends" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (He) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a talent for *predicting* future trends).

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

He plans to predict the market trends.

They hope to predict the winner of the competition.

She wants to predict the outcome of the experiment.

We decided to predict the future together.

They agreed to predict the sales figures for the next quarter.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• enjoy
• recommend
• dislike
• avoid
• imagine

Example

She enjoys predicting the weather forecast.

They recommend predicting customer preferences for better marketing strategies.

I dislike the idea of predicting natural disasters.

He avoids predicting the stock market fluctuations.

Can you imagine yourself predicting future events?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

I like to predict the outcome of games. I like predicting the outcome of games.

We started to predict the weather patterns. We started predicting the weather patterns.

She began to predict future trends. She began predicting future trends.