To Recurse vs Recursing 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 recurse (Infinitive)

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

Example

I want to recurse through the directories to find the file.

Recursing (Gerund)

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

Example

Recursing through the directories can be time-consuming.

Where can infinitives/gerunds be placed in a sentence?

To recurse (Infinitive)

• 1. Subject

  To recurse through the directories requires a recursive function.

  To recurse through the directories requires a recursive function.

  • "*To recurse* through the directories" serves as the subject of the sentence.
  • Infinitive phrase (subject) + verb (requires) + noun phrase (a recursive function).
• 2. Object

  She wants me to recurse through the files.

  She wants me to recurse through the files.

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

  I need a program to recurse through the folders.

  I need a program to recurse through the folders.

  • "*To recurse* through the folders" modifies the noun "program."
  • Noun (I) + verb (need) + noun phrase (a program *to recurse* through the folders).

Recursing (Gerund)

• 1. Subject

  Recursing through the directories is a common programming technique.

  Recursing through the directories is a common programming technique.

  • "*Recursing* through the directories" is the subject of the sentence.
  • Gerund (subject) + verb (is) + noun phrase (a common programming technique).
• 2. Object

  I enjoy recursing through the files.

  I enjoy recursing through the files.

  • "*Recursing* through the files" is the object of the verb "enjoy."
  • Noun (I) + verb (enjoy) + gerund (*recursing* through the files).
• 3. Object of Preposition

  She has a passion for recursing.

  She has a passion for recursing.

  • "For *recursing*" is the object of the preposition "for."
  • Noun phrase (She) + verb (has) + noun phrase (a passion for *recursing*).

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

She plans to recurse through the data tomorrow.

They hope to recurse without any errors.

He wants to recurse through the entire database.

We decided to recurse through the code for optimization.

They agreed to recurse through the files together.

Verbs Taking Gerunds as Objects

• enjoy
• recommend
• dislike
• avoid
• imagine

Example

She enjoys recursing through the code every day.

They recommend using a recursive approach for recursing through the directories.

I dislike the idea of recursing through large datasets.

He avoids recursing in infinite loops.

Can you imagine yourself recursing through complex algorithms?

Verbs Taking Both Infinitives and Gerunds as Objects

• like
• start
• begin

Example

She likes to recurse through the files. She likes recursing through the files.

We started to recurse the directories. We started recursing the directories.

He began to recurse through the folders. He began recursing through the folders.