To Profile vs Profiling 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 profile (Infinitive)

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

Example

I refuse to profile people based on their appearance.

Profiling (Gerund)

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

Example

Profiling can lead to unfair treatment and discrimination.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To profile (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To profile is a controversial practice in law enforcement.

  To profile is a controversial practice in law enforcement.

  • "*To profile*" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (a controversial practice in law enforcement).
• 2. Object

  They want me to profile potential candidates for the job.

  They want me to profile potential candidates for the job.

  • "Me *to profile* potential candidates for the job" is the object of the verb "want."
  • Noun (They) + verb (want) + noun phrase (me *to profile* potential candidates for the job).
• 3. Adjective Modifier

  He needs a software to profile customers.

  He needs a software to profile customers.

  • "*To profile* customers" modifies the noun "software."
  • Noun (He) + verb (needs) + noun phrase (a software *to profile* customers).

Profiling (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Profiling is a common practice in airport security.

  Profiling is a common practice in airport security.

  • "*Profiling*" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (a common practice in airport security).
• 2. Object

  She enjoys profiling different personality types.

  She enjoys profiling different personality types.

  • "*Profiling* different personality types" is the object of the verb "enjoys."
  • Noun (She) + verb (enjoys) + gerund (*profiling* different personality types).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  They are opposed to the idea of profiling individuals based on race.

  They are opposed to the idea of profiling individuals based on race.

  • "The idea of *profiling* individuals based on race" is the object of the preposition "opposed to."
  • Noun phrase (They) + verb (are) + preposition (opposed to) + noun phrase (the idea of *profiling* individuals based on race).

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

• refuse
• demand
• attempt
• learn
• choose

Example

We refuse to profile individuals based on their religion or ethnicity.

The organization demands to profile all members for security purposes.

She attempted to profile the suspect's behavior to predict future actions.

He wants to learn how to profile people effectively.

They chose to profile specific demographics for their marketing campaign.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• avoid
• consider
• recommend
• mind
• understand

Example

We should avoid profiling people solely based on their appearance.

He is considering profiling customers to personalize their shopping experience.

Experts recommend against profiling individuals based on their religion or ethnicity.

Do you mind profiling participants for our research study?

I understand the concerns raised by profiling certain groups.

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• begin
• continue

Example

She likes to profile suspects to aid in criminal investigations. She likes profiling suspects to aid in criminal investigations.

We began to profile customers for targeted advertising. We began profiling customers for targeted advertising.

He will continue to profile employees for performance evaluation. He will continue profiling employees for performance evaluation.