To Prepend vs Prepending 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 prepend (Infinitive)

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

Example

I want to prepend the new information to the existing document.

Prepending (Gerund)

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

Example

Prepending the information will make it more visible.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To prepend (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To prepend is a common operation in computer programming.

  To prepend is a common operation in computer programming.

  • "*To prepend*" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (a common operation in computer programming).
• 2. Object

  She wants me to prepend the email with an important note.

  She wants me to prepend the email with an important note.

  • "Me *to prepend* the email with an important note" is the object of the verb "wants."
  • Noun (She) + verb (wants) + noun phrase (me *to prepend* the email with an important note).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  We need a function to prepend elements to an array.

  We need a function to prepend elements to an array.

  • "*To prepend* elements to an array" modifies the noun "function."
  • Noun (We) + verb (need) + noun phrase (a function *to prepend* elements to an array).

Prepending (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Prepending the email with a greeting is considered polite.

  Prepending the email with a greeting is considered polite.

  • "*Prepending* the email with a greeting" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (considered polite).
• 2. Object

  I enjoy prepending emojis to my messages.

  I enjoy prepending emojis to my messages.

  • "*Prepending* emojis to my messages" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
  • Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*prepending* emojis to my messages).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She has a habit of prepending her name to all her emails.

  She has a habit of prepending her name to all her emails.

  • "Of *prepending* her name to all her emails" is the object of the preposition "of."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a habit of *prepending* her name to all her emails).

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 prepend the new section to the report tomorrow.

I hope to prepend my name to the list of contributors.

He wants to prepend a disclaimer to the document.

We decided to prepend a header to each page of the document.

They agreed to prepend a logo to the website.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• enjoy
• recommend
• dislike
• avoid
• imagine

Example

He enjoys prepending comments to his code for clarity.

They recommend prepending a timestamp to the file name for easy identification.

I dislike the idea of prepending unnecessary information to the document.

She avoids prepending personal opinions to her professional emails.

Can you imagine prepending a signature to every email you send?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

They like to prepend a message to the notification. They like prepending a message to the notification.

We started to prepend a disclaimer to all our documents. We started prepending a disclaimer to all our documents.

He began to prepend a header to each page of the report. He began prepending a header to each page of the report.